2017 Official Country Guide THE GAMBIA 2017 Official Country Guide www.visitthegambia.gm 1 THE GAMBIA 2017 Official Country Guide 2 www.visitthegambia.gm 2017 Official Country Guide THE GAMBIA 2017 Official Country Guide www.visitthegambia.gm 3 CONTENT MESSAGE FROM HONOURABLE MINISTER 2 OF TOURISM & CULTURE MESSAGE FROM DIRECTOR GENERAL, 3 GAMBIA TOURISM BOARD COUNTRY INFORMATION 4 HISTORY OF THE GAMBIA 6 COME EXPLORE 10 BEAUTY & WELLBEING 12 SPORTS TOURISM 14 EATING OUT 16 NIGHT LIFE 20 FASHION 22 ART IN GAMBIA 24 THE GAMBIA 2017 Official Country Guide 4 www.visitthegambia.gm DOING BUSINESS 25 BIRD WATCHING 28 FISHING PARADISE 32 NATURE LIES HERE 34 STAYING OFF THE BEATEN TRACK 41 EXCURSIONS AVAILABLE 44 THE ‘ROOTS’ EXPERIENCE 46 THE HUNTING DEVIL MASQUERADE 48 NEW CULTURAL TOURISM 50 ATTRACTIONS DEVELOPED A FEW THINGS YOU SHOULD NOT MISS 55 GETTING TO THE GAMBIA 56 NATIONAL CALENDAR OF EVENTS 58 SPEAK THE LANGUAGE 62 SOCIAL MEDIA AND E-PLATFORMS 63 TOURISM INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS 64 THE GAMBIA 2017 Official Country Guide www.visitthegambia.gm 5 THE GAMBIA 2017 Official Country Guide 6 www.visitthegambia.gm come share our culture THE GAMBIA 2017 Official Country Guide www.visitthegambia.gm 1 Message from Honourable Minister of Tourism & Culture Thank you for picking October 2016. This International Competition is expected up the 6th Edition of our to place the Destination among the destination of choice Official Tourist Guide, for bird watching enthusiasts. the annual publication that updates you on Our efforts to revamp the renowned UNESCO World developments within the ascribed Heritage Site – Kunta Kinteh Island – is ongoing Tourism and Hospitality with meaningful product developments within the Industry. We are grateful Juffureh and Albreda mainland. The construction of the to you, the tourist, as you Information Center is almost complete and the intended begin coming back to objective of improving the aesthetic beauty of the environs your beautiful, peaceful, is taking shape. All works relating to the Information and tranquil Tourist Center is expected to be completed by January 2017. Destination. This season we expect to realize a To further enhance our Tourism product suite, we full cycle recovery in our plan on reconstituting the National Troupe, reviving tourist arrival numbers since the unfortunate incident of the Miss Gambia Pageant, and introducing a Tourism the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. We are equally grateful, Awards Weekend platform where Tourists that have as a result of a well co-ordinated strategy, that The Gambia made substantial contribution through their various has remained Ebola Free despite the havoc the epidemic philanthropic initiatives, amongst others, would be has wrought in West Africa. recognized and appreciated. The Miss Gambia Beauty Pageant is scheduled to be held in February, 2017. The As a Government and under the dynamic leadership maiden edition of the Tourism Awards Weekend and the of His Excellency, the President of The Republic of re-launching of the National Troupe are now scheduled to The Gambia, Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr. Yahya A.J.J. take place in 2017. Jammeh, Babili Mansa, we continue to be steadfast in our Tourism development initiatives and we are There is formidable progress with our plans to create a resolved in our commitment to our strategic intent to Craft Village that would house all Craft Markets and also bring about meaningful development and improvement provide a platform where cultural groups would perform in our tourism product suite and to continue to expand on periodic basis to entertain tourists. The architectural our market reach and footprint in efforts to create new design for the craft village is currently being finalized. tourist origination markets. Our Tourism, Culture, and Hospitality development aspirations continue to be on As a Government, we continue to solicit your support track with the ultimate focus of increasing our Tourist air and patronage and we want to assure you that we are arrival numbers to 500,000 from the current 175,000 by forever committed to ensuring your safety, security, and the year 2020. happiness, and to guarantee you a positive experience during your vacation in the Smiling Coast of Africa. As Over the last 12 months, the Tourism Stakeholders have the Honourable Minister, please allow me to once again undertaken a number of initiatives geared towards thank you for choosing The Gambia as your destination improving Destination Gambia in efforts to give you, the of holiday and I urge those who are yet to visit to “Go Tourist, a better experience and a memorable holiday. discover the Smiling Coast of Africa!” Among the achievements of Destination Gambia is the start of construction of a new hotel, Princess Beach Hotel, which is expected to be finished by the start of the 2017/18 season and the re-launching of the much anticipated Benjamin A. Roberts vintage Fajara Beach Hotel; a hotel with a little over 150 Honourable Minister of Tourism & Culture rooms perched right within the coastline of the Atlantic. Overall 300 new beds have been added to the total number of beds within the Tourism Industry. In addition, the International Bird Watching Festival, which has been in the making over the last two years, will be held in THE GAMBIA 2017 Official Country Guide 2 www.visitthegambia.gm Message from Director General, Gambia Tourism Board I am pleased to write the In addition to the mighty River Gambia, the destination editorial for this attractive prides itself with beautiful attractions apart from our and insightful publication traditional sun, sand and sea. Bird watching, dolphin about The Gambia watching, sport fishing, sky diving and mangrove Tourism. In this brochure, exploration are among the main excursions to be you will find many things exploited. Eco-tourism and community based tourism said about The Gambia- have been embraced and there are attractive incentive “The Smiling Coast of packages for investors interested to invest in eco-tourism, Africa” some of which may up country and up river tourism ventures. be new and others that you already know. It is my In terms of cultural heritage, The Gambia has a high hope that the brochure degree of ethnic diversity, religious tolerance, peace and will enable readers to tranquillity and offers a wide range of visitors experience broaden their knowledge within its limited land area. These attractions include about the smiling cost performing arts- dance, music, which are highly developed of Africa and experience a new understanding about while Gambia cuisine is diverse and attractive. The Gambian tourism. Gambia has a range of historical buildings, monuments, and archaeological sites some of which are now listed in Tourism is an important component of the Gambian the world heritage sites of UNESCO. economy. It is the leading foreign exchange earner and one of the pillars to eradicate poverty. The government The guide offers invaluable information for anyone is continuing its efforts to broaden the tourism market planning to visit the Gambia as well as expose investors to improve quality standards and ensure rational use of the wonderful possibilities that await them. The Gambia Tourism Development Area. We are fully committed to the Tourism Board official website www.visitthegambia.gm ideals of responsible and sustainable tourism practice. is a must visit for all intending and repeat visitors to the Our objective is to increase the contribution of tourism Smiling Coast of Africa. to the economy while being cognizant of the needs to continuously enhance our visitor’s expectation. Welcome to the Gambia, “The Smiling Coast of Africa”. Destination Gambia is the whole country and its people. It is often said that “The Gambia River is the Gambia and the Gambia is the river Gambia”. It is a major tourist attraction Abdoulie Hydara and the dominant feature running through the heart of Director General the country. This West African waterway is approximately 700 miles (1,130 km) long, rising in the Fouta Djallon plateau in Northern Guinea, flowing generally northwest through South East Senegal then west, dissecting The Gambia, to the Atlantic Ocean at capital city, Banjul. The river is navigable in most of its length by ocean going vessels, catamaran services and barges. The river ecology is divided into two different zones, estuarine and freshwater, which in turn largely determine the peripheral vegetation pattern. Salt water sneaks in some 150km (95mi) upstream, as far as Kuntaur. In the lower estuary, mangroves dominate the riverside, with extensive reed belts in-between zone, while where the water is fresh; the banks are lined with gallery forest. THE GAMBIA 2017 Official Country Guide www.visitthegambia.gm 3 Country Information THE GAMBIA Koussanar Maka- Noiro Gouye O , Fass 16 30 KAOLACK & DAKAR KAOLACK Kunda Toubakouta Kass TAMBACOUNDA Kaymor Panchang Nia Bolong nija Wollof Jokul ong Nyanga l Ndawen MBulgurk Bo Kerr Batch Bantang Bati a Niakoi Tobon Diemballa UPPER ij Jaha NIANIMARU Ker Njau n KAHI BADI Ker Jah SALOUM ia FOREST PARK Modi N Konteh FOREST PARK Jane Hali NIANIJA Bakadagy Genge kunda Gungorong Passi Bati Bird Wollof Deer Jamagen Ngayene JUMBA YAKA Kau-ur Sakura NDar Pasari Island Island FOREST PARK + Island Kudang Wassu Jahawur F Bantanto Carrol’s NIANI Missira Tenda Stone Circles LOWER Mandika Wharf Pasari la Wassu Pallan a BELAL Njubdu Island F Island Bandi SALOUM Jafai Kudang Misira Kuntaur Mandinka FOREST PARK F + Balanghar Maka F Karantaba ker Nderry Jessadi Pappa