Gambia: Stakeholders Validate Tourism MSME Data Collection

2 June 2023
The Point (Banjul)
By Njie Baldeh

Stakeholders from the tourism industry, on Friday, validated the Tourism Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Data Collection and Ecosystem Analysis.

The validation held at the Senegambia Hotel is to build resilience through strengthening sustainable coastal infrastructure and rehabilitation of existing tourism sites.

Ministry of Tourism and Culture through its Project Implementation Unit (PIU) is implementing the World Bank-funded Tourism Recovery, Diversification, and Resilience in The Gambia Project (TDRGP).

The development objective of the project is to support recovery, diversification, and climate resilience of the tourism sector in the selected destination, strengthening institutional and policy framework, improving capabilities and access to funds for tourism-related Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME), and building resilience through strengthening sustainable coastal infrastructure and rehabilitation of existing tourism sites.

Dawada Ceesay, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism and Culture explained that the draft report validated falls under component one of the Tourism Diversification and Resilience in The Gambia Project, policy framework and MSME participation.

"I am pleased to see that both public and private sector institutions as well as training institutions have been engaged during the study process, in addition to the core tourism sector stakeholders.

"We expect to continue this strong collaboration during the implementation of sub-component one activities under the leadership of the Ministry," PS Ceesay noted.

Sainabou Sey, Operation Officer at World Bank, explained that the World Bank's partnership with the Gambia includes the commitment to assist the government to achieve inclusive and resilient private sector-driven job creation.

According to her, these goals are specified in the government's development strategies including the National Development Plan that recognises the private sector as the principal actor for future growth, transformation, and job creation, particularly in agribusiness and tourism sectors.

Ms Sey explained further that the World Bank has been working closely with the Ministry in the Context of Tourism Diversification and Resilience Project which aims to move The Gambia in the direction of private sector-led sustainable growth, by strengthening institutional framework, improving linkages between local MSME suppliers and large tourism business, and building resilience through infrastructure support.

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