A Major Tourism Boom Awaits Gambia

The tiny nation of The Gambia—a popular holiday resort for Western tourists, would soon witnessed a dramatic transformation on its tourism industry policies, with the view of restoring tourists and investors confidence, President Yahya Jammeh has declared.

Mr. Jammeh believes that tourism is an important sector in the nation’s economy, which accounts for the greater percentage of Gambia’s Gross Domestic Product—known as (GDP). Mr. Jammeh opined that such an important sector needs to be given the attention it deserved in the interest fulfilling the nation’s economic agenda—which is to transform the mini West African state into an economic power in the region.

Annual Congress of the African Travel Association (ATA)

Delegates who attended the 35th Annual Congress of the African Travel Association (ATA) say they appreciate The Gambia as a great potential for harnessing the 'untapped' tourism market in the continent, PANA reported from here Thursday.

They said that they had learnt great lessons from The Gambian experience and believed that the country could be a model for the Africa's tourism industry with specific regards to the development pace of the industry.

"The Gambia is situated in a strategic position and has a great potential for the sustainability of the tourism market," they said, nothing that the traditional and cultural heritage in the West African country painted a mental picture of "the norms and values of our great ancestors".

The delegates were taken on a conducted tour, organized by The Gambia Tourism Authority (GTA), to historical sites like the James Island and Juffureh (a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site) which was the base for the transportation of slaves from The Gambia, across the Atlantic Ocean to the New World of the Americas.

They also visited the Eco Tourism Centres at the GIG Farm, Mama Africa Museum Centre in Brufut and the President's Village of Kanilai , which has been transformed into a cultural stronghold by The Gambian leader.

Kanilai is known for hosting the country's biggest annual cultural jamboree, the Kanilai Cultural Festival.

Having seen just a few tourist centres, Mr. Ogo Sow, the first African Immigrant and Expatriate to start a Radio Programme in the United States and Canada, aimed at promoting African tradition and positive image, said the delegates had a lot to learn from The Gambia.

Mr. Sow, fondly called Mr. Africa in America, said The Gambia was a real tourist destination and served as a role model for tourism sustainability and development in Africa.

West African Tours
We show you the very best that Gambia has to offer in adventure, cultural, bird watching, fishing, roots heritage, sports fishing, four wheel drive, safari and day tours. We also offer Senegal, Ghana and Mali tours.

Enjoy Your Gambia Experience With Us!
220 449 5258
watours@qanet.gm
watours@gamtel.gm
watours@gmail.com
http://www.westafricantours.com/

Destination Management

From the moment your flight touches down, through the duration of the stay and until the time the return journey starts West African Tours offers a destination management service, that ensures a smooth tour, always there when needed, standing in the wings when not required.





BOOKING/TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS
West African Tours knowledge of The Gambia and its tourist infrastructure puts us in the prime position to arrange your booking and travel arrangements. We can offer:


•Hotel contracting


•Full reservation, administration and emergency back up service


•Late booking service including late availability special offers and discounts


We aim to provide an efficient, professional business service in the organisation of your arrangements:


•Fast no obligation quotations and guaranteed rates


•Most major credit cards accepted


FLIGHT MANAGEMENT
Let us take the strain of the administration of travel arrangements so you can be assured of problem-free travel. In the event of a travel problem West African Tours is at hand to minimise the trauma.


•Flight monitoring and hospitality arrangements in the event of delay


•Flight reconfirmation


HOTEL SERVICES
Once you have arrived, we ensure that your stay is enjoyable and memorable. We are experienced at providing a meet and greet service as well as hotel hospitality desks and representation services.

POST TOUR
We are committed to after-sales service and provide information feedback to tour operators where necessary.


Because West African Tours focuses on its specialism in ground arrangements we cannot book flights for you directly. We are happy to put you in touch with our recommended UK and West European based agents who can deal with your requirements.


Please contact us to discuss your specific needs and find out how we can help you. We will be delighted to send you full details of any of our services, excursions and tours.


West African Tours We show you the very best that Gambia has to offer in adventure, cultural, bird watching, fishing, roots, sports fishing, four wheel drive, safari and day tours. We also offer Senegal, Ghana and Mali tours.



Enjoy Your Gambia Experience With Us!


220 449 5258
watours@qanet.gm
watours@gamtel.gm
watours@gmail.com
www.westafricantours.com/

Your Conference in Gambia and Dakar

Conference Venue Bookings and Planning



Corporate Conferencing Venues, Banquets and Team Building Events


West African Tours does Conference Venue Bookings for Internationally recognized Conferences. We plan, arrange and suggest suitable venues for corporate conferencing as well as banquets and team building events throughout The Gambia and in Dakar. We offer: All facets of events co-ordination


Venue suggestions/reservations for banquets and conferences either in tourist coastal areas, the bush  or the city of Dakar. 
Co-ordination of entertainers/bands
Motivational speakers
All electronic requirements  
Décor co-ordination
Co-ordination of RSVP's
Incentive travel for corporate groups
Off-site conferences


Off-site team building programmes, including motivational speakers, bush expeditions and 4x4 off-road driving.


West African Tours We show you the very best that Gambia has to offer in adventure, cultural, bird watching, fishing, roots, sports fishing, four wheel drive, safari and day tours. We also offer Senegal, Ghana and Mali tours.

Enjoy Your Gambia Experience With Us!
220 449 5258
watours@qanet.gm
watours@gamtel.gm
watours@gmail.com
www.westafricantours.com/

Gambia Customer Comments

Cosmos are proud to have been associated with The Gambia for the last 12 years and look forward to many more years of working in The Gambia. We thoroughly recommend the services of West African Tours.

Tom McCormick, Regional Contracts Manager, Monarch Holidays 


Following a recent trip to The Gambia with a group of Travel & Tourism students I feel duty bound to sing the praises of West African Tours to any would be travellers. What an organisation, approachable, helpful, patient, completely professional and offering excellent value for money with their excursion programme.

I would suggest to anyone putting together a substantial package of excursions, especially for groups, to contact West African Tours as I found them to be brilliant. We have a very busy schedule planned with something organised each day and each evening. West African Tours advised me as to the best trips to take the students on and the best order in which to do them. Each excursion was excellent value for money and the evening dinner excursions at a pre-arranged fee were wonderful value. (Now planning a third Trip).
Marilyn Halfore, Evesham college

West African Tours on a number of occasions for birdwatching trips in The Gambia. They have always given me exactly what I needed and their birding guides have an uncanny knack of knowing exactly where to look. I would not hesitate to recommend them to anyone looking for serious birding.
Keith Betton, Head of Corporate Affairs, Association of British Travel Agents

Ever since The Gambia Experience started operating to The Gambia we have worked with West African Tours as our agent. They have provided airport and hotel transfers, and all of our excursion programme within The Gambia. As well as standard tasks, they have also organised ad hoc groups such as birdwatching and overland groups, and have greatly assisted with press and travel agent educational visits to The Gambia. In the 15 years we have grown into being the major tour operator to The Gambia, now carrying in excess of 20,000 people year round. This growth would not have been possible without the support of a professional ground operator. The Gambia Experience


I am writing to thank you for organising such a wonderful few days for us in The Gambia. The three days which we spent travelling inland to Janjangbureh with your company were the highlight of our holiday. We feel that we experienced something of the "real Gambia" by undertaking this trip as it enabled us to witness village life, access remoter regions, and to travel by river.

I would like to thank you for your willingness to organise a tour for just three people, and for even coming to visit us at our coastal hotel to discuss details with us and ensure that we had all our needs encompassed by the itinerary. The transport provided was excellent (with by far the safest driving we witnessed in The Gambia), and the guide provided was not only patient and friendly, but extremely knowledgeable about the bird life of the region which added greatly to the quality of the experience for us all. Many thanks to you all for providing us with such a quality service.
Rachel Robinson


We have just returned from our third holiday in The Gambia, and have on each occasion taken various tours organised by your company. These have always run as smoothly as could be expected in the sometimes quite difficult circumstances. We were particularly impressed with the guide and driver on the 2 day excursion. They worked extremely well as a team and made every effort to make the trip a success. They were pleasant and helpful in every way, and we got a lot of interesting information that greatly increased our knowledge of the country and the way the people live, even though we have visited so often.
Tony Treacher, Producer, Holiday - BBC TV

The success of Limosa's birdwatching and wildlife holidays to The Gambia could not have been achieved without the support of a reliable, efficient and understanding ground agent, willing and able to adapt and service the particular demands of our groups.

As a small specialist tour operator, we rely heavily on word-of-mouth recommendation, and the fact that our programme of birding tours is widely regarded as the best is due in no small measure to Patrick Sothern and his team at West African Tours in providing exactly the level of support we require.
Chris Kightley, Partner, Limosa Holidays


West African Tours We show you the very best that Gambia has to offer in adventure, cultural, bird watching, fishing, roots, sports fishing, four wheel drive, safari and day tours. We also offer Senegal, Ghana and Mali tours.



Enjoy Your Gambia Experience With Us!


220 449 5258
 watours@qanet.gm
watours@gamtel.gm
watours@gmail.com
www.westafricantours.com/