The craft sellers at the Senegambia Craft Market have lamented the slow down of business in this year's tourist season. The craft sellers made this statement in an interview with this reporter on Thursday at their craft market.

Speaking to his reporter, Amadou Njie said this year's tourist season is bad compared to last year. He said last season was far better than this season as sales were good. It is his belief that the cause of the slow down is due to the failure of many British tourists to come to the Senegambia Beach Hotel because of the change to a new management. He said British tourists always buy their materials but this season most of the Senegambia tourists are Spanish and Norwegians. Amadou noted that tour operators always take tourists to other craft markets such as in Brikama and Banjul which has also impact negatively on their business. While acknowledging that the month of January was better in the season, she was quick to say that even that is not good enough. Also speaking, Gibou Sidibeh a vendor at the said craft market said last season was better than this season. Gibou added that this season, their business is dull and the cause of it is that the tour operators go with tourists to other craft markets. He added that tourists who used to come to the Senegambia craft market has reduced in number, and even if they do come, they don't usually buy anything.

Agie Sainey Faye, a craft seller also said their business had slowed down this season as the number of tourists coming to the Senegambia has reduced. She thinks the cause is the lack of control of the business. She said everywhere people are selling craft materials in the markets and the tourists go to other craft markets. She said the change of management in the Senegambia Hotel also impacted on their business because this season, new tourists such as the Spanish and Italians who are come to Senegambia hardly buy craft materials.

She said she could not tell which month she got the highest sale because since the start of the season the business has not been doing well. Agie concluded that since she started selling in the craft market this season is the worst of all.