1. Overview of Tourism in The Gambia

Tourism is important in The Gambia as a leading foreign exchange earner and one of the pillars for the eradication of poverty. In this regard, the government's stated policy is to promote tourism and its contribution to economic growth by marketing the country as the ‘Smiling Coast of Africa’, a popular and affordable winter destination attracting tourists in search of sun, sand, sea and rich cultural experiences. The main objective is to increase the contribution of tourism to the economy and to raise the general living standards of all Gambians. To this end, the government is continuing its efforts to broaden the tourism market, improve quality standards, and ensure rational use of the country’s Tourism Development Area by supporting ideals of responsible and sustainable tourism. The Gambia is one of the nine participating countries and is executing its activities at the Kartong Demo Site, through a collaborative venture with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the Gambia Tourism Board (GT Board) and the Gambia’s National Environment Agency (NEA).