
The Gambia’s Tourism Minister Hamat N.K. Bah, told Lawmakers that the COVID-19 Pandemic seriously devastated the 2020 tourist season.
Minister Bah disclosed this information to Deputies of the Gambia’s Parliament, in response to a question asked by the Member for Bakau Ousman Touray, on how the pandemic has affected the sector, as well as on the steps taken by the Ministry to localize tourism and strengthen the all-inclusive cultural tourism, instead of extensively depending on external tourism.
“Without doubt, the 2020 tourist season was economically devastated by the COVID-19 Pandemic and that although localized tourism will still not be sufficient to cover the expected arrivals and economic benefits, it will help reduce the gap,” Minister Bah replied; that in cognisance of this fact, his Ministry has been looking at ways of encouraging regional and domestic tourism in the country, since the start of the outbreak of the pandemic; that the construction of five eco-lodges in each of the regions across the country as per the national development plan, is indeed a clear indication of his Ministry; that he is happy to report that work on three of these lodges in Barra in NBR, Kunkiling forest in CRR and Sotuma Samba Sireh in URR, are already in high gear.
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