Concord Times (Freetown)
Ben Samuel Turay and Bryna Hallam
6 November 2008
Freetown — Executive director of the conservation society of Sierra Leone yesterday told a symposium marking the celebration of world tourism day at the national stadium in Freetown that ecotourism and conservation could improve tourism in the country.
Daniel Saffa, speaking at a symposium about tourism as a response to challenges of climate change and the environment, said there were many challenges in the tourism industry, but that he believes there were many opportunities.
"Conservation and livelihood are the two pillars of ecotourism," he said, explaining that if the country's natural assets were to be protected people would be able to have jobs.
"We need to identify the threats and the problems so we can start to manage them properly," he said.
He also suggested that people should be educated on Sierra Leone's natural assets and about how to protect them so that they would benefit people.
Tommy Garnett, regional director for the environmental foundation for Africa, said to encourage tourists, the country needs to protect and develop the areas people would like to visit.
The country's beaches were among the best in the world, he said, and noted that there were many other important resources, including its forests, mountains and people.
"Sierra Leone is a very rich country with a lot of poor people," he said and called on the tourist board to talk to the government to find a way to bring tourists into the country and market the country to international travelers.
Tourism is the third largest contributor to the Sierra Leone's economy.
According to the International Labour Organization, 8,000 jobs in the country depend on tourism.
The government has adopted a policy of developing Sierra Leone to ensure that the environment was maintained in a condition that would attract tourists and meet the needs of Sierra Leoneans.
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