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jambo
3300 Posts |
 Posted - 31 Mar 2010 : 13:59:49
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i am not sure if the man made things are needed, the infrastructure should be better. outside the hotels should be more welcoming. if you stay at cape point, to go out of a night is awful, lighting is bad, no restaurants or night shops. thsi area coudl do with these things as it would help the tourists leave the hotel, even a good bar would help.
african village not too bad but lighting is poor.
Badala park area is being developed so tourists can have a choice outside he hotel, but the road is not safe along that track to the beach.
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snuggels
960 Posts |
Posted - 12 Apr 2010 : 12:52:38
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When buying a house they say 3 things that count location location location.
When on Holiday for me its places of interest to visit and Entertainment Entertainment Entertainment and Im sure that applies to most tourists
I agree some just like to sunbath and chill out on the beach and soak up the weather.
So some more suggestions for Gambia to attract the tourists
Open air green bowling, As most come for a week or a fortnight a once a week or fortnight a free open air traditional song and dance show to entertain the tourist this could be held in the tourist area of Senegambia in front of the Dream Park.
How about Camel rides on the beach?
I think the Roots village could be made more interesting with tradional round houses and crafts depicting the wayof life used to be in Gambia or taking it a stage further make into an African theme park
Over the years from all the countries I have been to around the world all major tourist places have had licenced street entertainers. So what about Gambia?
Costly but sure would be a great tourist attraction as they are in most parts of the world would be sky cabel cars with rides from say from Denton bridge or Lamin lodge over the Mangoes and ancient forests
As it appears most major developments seem to be funded by Nigerians/Liberian or Leboneas in gambia maybe they fund such a project like this |
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toubab1020
12311 Posts |
Posted - 12 Apr 2010 : 17:48:38
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quote:
Originally posted by snuggels
When buying a house they say 3 things that count location location location.
When on Holiday for me its places of interest to visit and Entertainment Entertainment Entertainment and Im sure that applies to most tourists
I agree some just like to sunbath and chill out on the beach and soak up the weather.
So some more suggestions for Gambia to attract the tourists
Recently I took a ride on the new green bendy bus that has appeared on the Banjul to Tabacoto route,very smooth and comfortable it was too,on this bus was free entertainment a salesman standing in the isle and extoling the virtues of a magic ointment that could be used to treat anything from piles to insect bites! all at D7 for a small cardboard container the size of a 50b coin,needless to say being very tight about money I didn't buy any,what worried me a little was why if this stuff was so good was the man trying to sell it on a bus in Banjul?,he should have been living the high life in America or UK if the properties of his product were as good as he said,enough of this banter, it was great entertainment though and free
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 12 Apr 2010 18:06:07 |
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snuggels
960 Posts |
Posted - 23 Apr 2010 : 12:38:13
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Having read all the pertinant replies to the thread . Over and above all my surgestions for making Gambia a more interesting place to visit there was only one reply being a water park which I think is a wonderful surgestion to attract families.
It is interestin to see that no replies were from people living in Gambia Which I think dissapointing like wise to my thread Special Report (tourisum) there were no replies from all of which you can draw your own conclusions |
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toubab1020
12311 Posts |
Posted - 23 Apr 2010 : 16:01:30
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You forget something SNUGGLES if its not about Gambian politics or politicians replies and discussion will be very rare 
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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snuggels
960 Posts |
Posted - 24 Apr 2010 : 14:23:37
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| You are possibly right Toubab. I also think its the general attitude that prevails in Gambia in lack of interest in anything and apathy |
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snuggels
960 Posts |
Posted - 26 Apr 2010 : 13:59:22
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Letter to Minister
As I leave on wednesday I have written and delivered buy hand a letter to the Minister for Tourism regarding the points raised in this thread |
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Nokia Man
United Kingdom
44 Posts |
Posted - 05 May 2010 : 01:30:14
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I think snuggles suggestion re: depicting the way of life used to be in Gambia is superb. This would capture the imagination of virgin travellers considering the Gambia. An insight to West African culture that has past before us.
Personally I think the Gambia could benefit from a cottage industry centre and although cottage industries already exist they are scattered. Having a concentrated area of craft cottage industries and perhaps incorporating snuggles theme this would make a day long event and shopping experience. People would go with intent on taking something home and they would need to eat too being a day event which would divert some cash away from hotel restaurants and into local pockets.
Crafts could include 'have a go' themes where people could try carving a drum, how to cook benechin and associated Gambian recipes, tie dye and maybe traditional building techniques? One thing I have always wanted to do when visiting The Gambia is to go out on a traditional fishing boat for the day and be one of the crew, not just an observer. This alone has to yield at least £40 if not up to £80.
Them are my thoughts on the subject and good call snuggels. I like your intuition.
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snuggels
960 Posts |
Posted - 18 May 2010 : 14:27:12
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quote:
Originally posted by snuggels
Letter to Minister
As I leave on wednesday I have written and delivered buy hand a letter to the Minister for Tourism regarding the points raised in this thread
[Reply
I recieved a reply to the above from a Mr Lamin.A.Camera on behalf of the Permanent Secertary. He thanked me for my letter and takes on board the points raised and said.
"On behalf of the Minstry, may I once again thank you very much for your effort. Together we will move Gambia tourism forward"
As mentioned elswhere of a meeting held in Senegambia by the Minister of Tourism with the tour operators for there surgestion of how to improve tourism all well and good. But my view is ask the man in the street. Well now from all the imputs to the thread they now know.
Thanks guys for your contribution |
Edited by - snuggels on 18 May 2010 14:27:57 |
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toubab1020
12311 Posts |
Posted - 18 May 2010 : 17:51:54
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Well done you got a written reply from a representive of the Gambian government,although I note what your letter says,lets see if any ACTION is taken on the points that you raised,at least you tried snuggles, hope it works. |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Drammehkangi
Sweden
40 Posts |
Posted - 29 Dec 2010 : 12:53:16
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| The evolution of tourism in The Gambia shows that much has been spent all along promoting the building of infrastructure, institutional development, security apparatus and many promotional activities (Bah, 2006), but there were no policies in place to guide the tourism development process, neither a specific environmental strategy in the country dedicated to tourism (Tourism Master Plan of The Gambia, 2007). |
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toubab1020
12311 Posts |
Posted - 29 Dec 2010 : 14:07:27
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Well said,there should of course be policies and stratigies in place for what is a VITAL money earner for The Gambia,however as everywhere itsa ready cash that drives all markets and this planning has been overlooked,I fear that it may now be too late to start over and that tinkering with the present system is all that can be expected.
quote:
Originally posted by Drammehkangi
The evolution of tourism in The Gambia shows that much has been spent all along promoting the building of infrastructure, institutional development, security apparatus and many promotional activities (Bah, 2006), but there were no policies in place to guide the tourism development process, neither a specific environmental strategy in the country dedicated to tourism (Tourism Master Plan of The Gambia, 2007).
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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 - 29 Dec 2010 : 14:54:36
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| There is a museum at Tanje that is quite interesting. Perhaps this could be gently developed to include some of the ideas posted above? |
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Drammehkangi
Sweden
40 Posts |
Posted - 30 Dec 2010 : 09:45:16
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Fair observation Toubab 1020...the current situation can be expected. Tourism was not part of government’s plan during its exploratory stage, and therefore not pioneered by the government. Its existence on the destination was by chance of ‘accident’. A fundamental issue is our lack of understanding of what "development" means. Tourism is a major socio-economic development tool for the Gambia, often associated with poverty alleviation. It is the experience of the destination which is the major product and concept! Like, the previous analysis by our friend, Nokia Man.
For many stakeholders in the industry, their concept of tourism development concerns moving from traditional to a more modern society, thereby undermining the local authentic experience as a tourism product, and indulged on manipulation, and substitution of the destination's attire with more imported foreign goods and services, which is making the Gambia less and less competitive. However, even though these challenges are there, it is not too late to rejuvenate.
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toubab1020
12311 Posts |
Posted - 30 Dec 2010 : 16:45:48
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| Drammehkangi I agree with your assesment of the stakeholders, "local authentic experience as a tourism product" I read those words but I am uncertain of their meening in relation to The Gambia,if you mean a visit to a local compound to view the lives of the average Gambian then that experience is unlikely to be a pleasurable one for tourists most of who are used to hot water coming from a tap when a wash is required and a flush toilet instead of a hole in the ground and a seething mass of cockcroaches and a cut down bottled water bottle.Local customs and culture yes, but sorry to say designed with the visitor in mind. |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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