UK government's STI completes project in The Gambia

The UK Government’s Sustainable Tourism Initiative has completed its project in The Gambia with a multi-stakeholder workshop, which agreed an action plan to be implemented by the members of the Federation of Tour Operators (FTO) in The Gambia, the Gambian Tourism Authority and members of ASSET (the Association of Small Scale Enterprises in Tourism).

The Gambia Responsible Tourism Partnership under the auspices of the Gambian Tourism Authority has taken responsibility for implementing the agreed programme of work and for reporting on progress to the Responsible Tourism in Destinations conference in April 2003. The Responsible Tourism Partnership is ensuring that tourism is developed in The Gambia in a responsible and sustainable manner in the interests of the Gambian government, local people, tourists and tourism businesses in The Gambia and in the originating markets.

The agreed programme of action is to include the following:

FTO resort managers and reps are reviewing the new ASSET brochure to see which products can be included in the operators resort information packs in the hotel lobbies.

The Responsible Tourism Partnership, with participation by FTO companies, is contributing to the Gambian Tourism Authority’s deliberations about the regulation of taxi drivers, guides, craft markets and other producers engaging with the tourism industry. Complaints from tourists made to tour operators’ reps in The Gambia will be documented and passed on to the GTA for action.

The success of some markets in reducing the extent of tourist hassling was recognised and operators will draw the existence of these codes of conduct and the “hassle free markets” to the attention of tourists from January 2003.

FTO managers and reps in The Gambia are assisting the STI communications working group by drawing up a generic “Tips for Tourists” to be included on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Know Before You Go website.

FTO reps and managers will, through the Responsible Tourism Partnership, encourage hotels to source locally wherever possible.

The Crystal food hygiene training programme will be extended to the informal sector and to ASSET members next time it is implemented in The Gambia.

The UK Sustainable Tourism Initiative (STI) is a joint initiative of the UK Government, UK tour operators and NGOs. The objective of the STI is to “enhance the sustainability of the UK outbound industry and to build the foundation for a continual process of improvement”. For further information about the STI contact Fanny Calder [email protected].

For further information about The Gambia STI project contact: Dilys Roe [email protected] or Kaliba Senghore who chairs the Responsible Tourism Partnership in The Gambia [email protected]