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lurker
509 Posts |
 Posted - 04 Jun 2008 : 22:12:33
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howdy folks,
i know this is a bit of a repeat. i have been monitoring other sites - call me a traitor!- and for the first time i see genuine despair amongst the toubabs who really love gambia and are the real repeat tourists who know the place quite well. i have noticed heartache, anger, despair, frustration and pessimism in their postins. they cite all of the reasons that his bantaba has been discussing recently...BUT.. these complaints are coming fom the very life supply to the tourism industry- the tourists themselves. toubabs are selling up now, they are coming less frequently, they despair of the President's intolerance, the change in the attitde of the locals and the costs and taxes toubabs have to pay to live and work their, rightly or wrongly. but they are threatening to quit in vast swathes.
please read the letter i pinched from one site, which is pasted below. i would like to know whether any one in the tourist industry, the GTA or amongst the general gambin populace is aware of this and if any of them actually cares. those that do might want to address the issue with some solutions to what seems to be a very real problem. peace.
"Message: I dont agree with your views ......
. I have been visiting the gambia for 15 years and not for just a couple of weeks, for months at a time.
I have been stiched up every way possible by these so called clean living gambians.
They stich up the english with the ganga, shake my hand and be my friend, then you find a small package in your hand with the police behind you and your facing a fine of over £100.
I have seen this happen to young adults as young as 15, they dont smoke the ganga but are targeted by gambians, because they know its an easy buck.
So what happens when a young man is walking down the beach and a gambian comes running with the police stating that he is homosexual and tried it on with him.
This just leads to the opportunity to extort and terrify the tourist.
What happens when a young woman sunbathes topless on the beach or round the pool, is she to be stoned or shot?
Is it the christians to be beheaded next??
How can anyone possibly believe that any sain traveller would visit a country where it is law to behead someone for their own private sexual preference??
I have thought about this for the past week and can see no future for the gambia. I invested a lot of time and money in the gambia and am prepared to walk away.
With the corruption starting at the airport and not finishing until you leave the country, how can any one belive that tourists will return to the country.
There are plenty of other places and people will not visit the gambia if this is the way they are to be treated, not a lot of people are prepared to have their phones, ipods and such stolen from them at the airport arrivals and be ripped off all the way through the visit.
Gambia has been spoiled and I dont think that its the tourists that have spoiled it.
Ten years ago the gambia was the best place to visit on earth. It did really earn the name the smilling coast, but not any more.
This new law will be abused to profit the bumsters and corrupt police and I fear it is an end to the tourism in the gambia.
Gambia toursim can not survive on the charity workers and aid workers alone.
I think 100% that the gambia is now finished as a tourist destination "
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Edited by - lurker on 04 Jun 2008 22:14:50 |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 04 Jun 2008 : 23:06:43
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| Very depressing |
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toubab1020
12312 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jun 2008 : 00:35:47
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Maybe Gambia Experience has seen the writing on the wall in the fact that they are now offering Cape Verde as well as the Gambia.In C.V. the administration is welcoming the tourists and those who are prepared to invest in the country,I have not visited Cape Verde therefore I can only comment on what I have read.What I do know is that things in Gambia have changed out of all recognition in recent times.I, like the author of the letter above have "invested" my time and my money on projects that have been unsucessful,and when I visit now I just see friends that I have made over the years and I am not swayed by their bouyant mood that we could become rich if we did this project or imported this thing into Gambia,you won't. It is a very sad fact that most Gambians dream of a happy contented life,and when they see a tourist that tourist embodies that dream,money, mobile phones, i pods ,cameras,walkmans battery powered DVD players.Most Gambians (the ones that I know anyway)have no money no job,very little hope and live from day to day,hoping that there will be food that day and that they can manage to send their children to school for just a little longer.The Smiling Coast, no more,under the smiles there is dispair.It is also a fact that of the countries surrounding Gambia ,Gambia is the best of the bunch.Africa is not Europe or the US many Gambians rely on money sent from outside the country and have forgotten that to get money you have to work for it the maxim of No work No money,dosn't apply anymore in Gambia because there are no jobs.Many bantaba readers I suspect have recieved letters from Gambia,when opened after the inital greeting comes the crunch,yes,you guessed it please send me D.......... so I can buy a sheep,or some other reason.
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 05 Jun 2008 00:42:51 |
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jun 2008 : 12:01:12
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lurker, there is a lot to take in re your posting, but like many others have become disallusioned with Gambia, many of us have tales to tell. BUT the government is responsible for the poverty in the country not the toubabs. PAY DECENT SALARIES.
BUT CORRUPTION STARTS AT AIRPORT, security men try and ask you leading questions, wanting extra fees/taxes for your walkman or mobile phone, right down to the tourist indurtsy charging extra high prices for tourists.
It is not longer seen as the place to invest AND I WISH THE investment forum for the roots convention good luck, too many internal negatives are creeping into Gambia. |
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mavaric
Turkmenistan
94 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jun 2008 : 20:32:40
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| every country has their problems... & the Gambia as a tourist destination is not finished, infact, I believe its only beginning. Gambia is actually still one of the best tourist destinations in Africa, trust me.. if you think you encountered some problems in the Gambia, you have not tried the other african countries on the menu.If we can implement some changes, root out some minor corruption and a democratise the country, we will lead in the african tourism market. |
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lurker
509 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jun 2008 : 21:13:20
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personally, mavaric, i can tell you i have been to over 20 african countries, and some of them are much more frightening, i agree.
however, it is gambia we love the most and i am not bothered about how bad the other ones are . i want gambia to get better again as i tend to agree with a lot of the comments.
your ideas are sound - root out corruption and democratise the place etc, but it just words.
nobody in gambia seems able to do anything other than talk.
who is going to democratise gambia and how.? this is a massive task. who is going to root out corruption? the corrupt police or army or govt?
this is a very large subject to get right before the tourists will change the things they are saying.
this is why ia sked if anyone in the relevant tourist authorities, in the govt, in the toruist sector would care to comment, cos i do not think they realise or care or give a damn.
they all take the money now and do not care what is left behind long after they have gone and the country's tourism is ruined and the locals are forgotten and hungry again.
from what i can see and hear and tell, the ones who care the most are , ironically, the toubabs themselves.
they speak out loudest about the demise of their favourite place, in a vain effort to get gambians to listen and protect their future livlihoods.
you can talk about change, so can i. but we cannot do anything.
in the end, if gambia continues to become less attractive to toubabs for all the reasons we ever talk about, the toubabs who care so much will be gone to newer climes... and they won't come back.
just like in all businesses, unless you look after our existing client base, you cannot survive to attract the newer customers.
this is all about myopic greed, selfish lust for money and complete apathy - just like other african countries, to be sure, but this is gambia we talk about.
we are not on the bantaba for kenya or mauritius or zimbabwe, are we?
bringing up their tourist probs ain't gonna help the gambia.
someone has to stand up and be counted and make these changes so that people like that guy whose letter i pasted feel confident about staying, investing, sponsoring, employing and helping.
if the 15 yr gambia veterans are going, where do you thing the next lot of similar future veterans are going to come from, reading their woes?
ain't gonna happen
gambia must act now or fail.
it is blindingly obvious to a lot of people, especially the tourists themselves who can schoose where to go. it no longer seems that gambia is unmissable, alas. |
Edited by - lurker on 05 Jun 2008 21:15:07 |
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anna
Netherlands
730 Posts |
Posted - 05 Jun 2008 : 23:28:40
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| Lurker, i agree to all your observations. Perhaps 'toubabs' like you and me will only go there because our partners want to see their families. Nowadays i am not even sure if i would recommend the Gambia as a holiday destination to my friends.......it is very gloomy indeed! |
When an old African dies, it is as if a whole library has burnt down.
Amadou Hampate Ba (Mali) |
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mavaric
Turkmenistan
94 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jun 2008 : 00:05:46
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| The complaints & whining seem to be coming from the 'Gambianised Tourist'. The ones who barely spend anything in The Gambia, spend half their time telling the average tourist not to use green taxis rather yellow taxis, drink tap water instead of bottled water etc etc. Am no fan of the current administration nor do I condone their recent comments about homosexuals , however what I am seeing is the typical scare mongering by the 'Gambianised Tourist' to discourage others from visiting The Gambia. Boycotting will not help the average Gambians. I believe we have to let time be the catalyst of change. Gambians are slowly waking up to the reality of situation & hopefully with time, change will rain down. |
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lurker
509 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jun 2008 : 00:28:31
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totally disagree. the complaints are coming from the "gambianised" tourists who have vested interests in the gambia. they have gambian family, houses, businesses, partnets, lovers, sponsored children.
they contribute financially to the micro and macro-economies and know the place well.
the complaints are not coming from the tree-hugging, lets drink the local water and die, liberal, do-gooder, i wanna be ethnic people that i think you were referring too - i could be mistaken.
you say gambians are slowly waking up to this reality....where is your evidence?
you hear the side from the disenchanted, so where is the voice of the ones who are waking up, as you put it, who can say , "hey, we know there is a problem, and we care, and this is what we want to do and these are some of the potential solutions"?
where is the dialogue with the tourist services, local govts, local community leadders, local religious leaders, local police, local civic leaders, ???
there is a big fat zero of that going on as far as these "gambianised" tourists can see.nero fiddled whle rome burned.
this is why there is a gloomy prognosis in their opinion.
do you see , even here on this bantaba, the toubab contributors , who deeply love your country, are voicing very similar opinions, and they have no axe to grind, nor grudge to bear. they just want the good old days back.
clocks do not go back, alas.
so new plans and ideas and new people are needed to ensure that the gambian people we married, love and enjoy have a future for their (and now our) familes to enjoy.
this, undoubtedly, involves a flourishing tourist trade.
lets face it. there is not a lot else to offer. even the peanut trade has gone chinese.... |
Edited by - lurker on 06 Jun 2008 00:52:24 |
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Momodou
Denmark
11744 Posts |
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toubab1020
12312 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jun 2008 : 11:27:02
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I suggest that the information that you have obtained excellent, though it is, was published in 2005 which probably means was composed of available figures for 2003 and 4 nothing wrong with that, but from memory the exchange rate against hard curriencies was excellent for the tourist (perhaps D50 plus to £1) therefore AT THAT TIME Gambia was cheap,but since the "forced" exchange rate has been introduced that has all changed,although the exchange rate is better now at one time it was down to aboutD32 to the £1.
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Momodou
Denmark
11744 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jun 2008 : 12:01:39
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| You are right in some of your arguements but things will still seem very cheap for visitors from this end. Flights are usually fully booked from Scandinavia during the winter months and I don't think there was any drop last season. Lets see whow it will be the coming season because fuel prices will also have their effect on ticket prices. See: http://www.gambia.dk/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6201 |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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toubab1020
12312 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jun 2008 : 12:33:41
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This fuel increase is going to hit the tourist industry hard, not only Gambia but everywhere,people are just not going to be able to spend money on holidays, fuel and food prices if you have loans or are buying your house that is going up travelling to work that is going up,real big problems are looming for countries that rely a great deal on tourism.Thats another aspect you talk about holidays to Gambia from Scandinavian countries,I have only visited Scandinavian countries once and because I was a visitor I found the cost of basic comodities VERY VERY expensive,for me the cost of even a cup of coffee was sky high,however I do not work in Scandinavia where I am sure the wages compensate for what I as a visitor felt were very high, I could no afford to go on holiday in Sweden for instance from that viewpoint Gambia is obviously affordable.
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 06 Jun 2008 : 14:53:35
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I agree Toubab. From the UK Gambia is not longer a cheap destination. There are many other places cheaper. I go to Gambia because I love it, not because of value for me, but for most tourists value for money is top of the list.
Scandanavians will find Gambia comparatively cheap, but from UK we are struggling to afford it.
Petrol, food, mortgages all on the increase. Holidays are luxuries that many will have to do without.  |
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turk
USA
3356 Posts |
Posted - 07 Jun 2008 : 01:42:43
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Personally I am afraid going gambia because of police. They are the biggest bumpsters. Avarage bumpster come and you just walk away. But the police now see tourist as the biggest revenue sources for their pockets. They may threaten you to shoot you because you pass the check point. They may tell you to take you to the station because they suspect you. Of course, as soon as you pay, you became the innocent angel, but if you brave enough to dispute, you are in trouble.
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diaspora! Too many Chiefs and Very Few Indians.
Halifa Salah: PDOIS is however realistic. It is fully aware that the Gambian voters are yet to reach a level of political consciousness that they rely on to vote on the basis of Principles, policies and programmes and practices. |
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 08 Jun 2008 : 03:58:37
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Going to Gambia, just like visiting any other country you are expected to abide by the laws of the land. If this law goes against your values and principles choose another destination or stay at home. We all have choices. Worldwide the amount of Tourists is expected to fall due to the Credit Crunch and rise of fuel prices. As Gambia like all destinations may also experience a drop in Tourist from certain destinations and a increase from others. Who knows unless Tourist Arrival figures are published.I think it should also be remembered that Gambian business people do make money, and that the country won't necessarily fall on its knees because fewer European tourists may have to tighten their belts. The majority of Gambian families don't rely on Tourism for their livelihoods and do have other occupation. It's important to put things into perspective.
Peace
sister Omega |
Peace
Sister Omega |
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