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Addressing the gathering, The Gambia’s vice president, Dr Aja Isatou Njie Saidy underscored the importance of the tourism industry to the national economy, saying for this reason, The Gambia government attaches prominence to tourism development, especially as the country is endowed with a plethora of natural potentials among which are rich cultural diversity, hospitable people and peace. She described the last one as being synonymous to The Gambia as a tourism destination. According to her, these potentials give the country the opportunity and exposure in the growing competitive travel and tourism market.
The VP also noted the significance of public-private sector partnership in the development of tourism, saying that The Gambia’s Vision 2020 development blueprint and the Tourism Master Plan are geared towards this direction. However, she said that global travel trends such as air accessibility continue to prevail in the development of the sector.
She then underscored the need for product development, training and education, regulation and strategic designing in developing tourism. These, she said, are among the key issues that The Gambia government will endeavor to address, noting that these will help the country to grow with the overall objective of maximizing gains and minimizing losses. She then used the opportunity to welcome the ATA delegates to the country, assuring them of the government’s support. She also enjoined them to give due consideration to the issues to be discussed at the gathering.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the chairman of the host committee, ATA Gambia chapter who also chairs the Gambia Hotel Association, Mr. Alieu Secka welcomed the delegates to The Gambia, as he noted that the congress will give the delegates and the host opportunities to maximize time together and an opportunity to resort to wise and practical counsel as the rest of the travel and tourism industry would take note of the proceedings deliberated in Banjul. He also expressed profound thanks to both the government and peoples of The Gambia for their trademark hospitality and warmth. He described The Gambia is very active in international forums aimed at improving economic opportunities despite its small size.
“What we can promise our guests as stakeholders this time round is a sense of purpose to fulfill the tasks ATA members have set out for themselves, drawing inspiration from the cardinal statement of intent binding us towards a common destiny,” he said, noting that The Gambia prides itself with a successful public private partnership and that the present event was being run by the private sector on behalf of the government.
Mr. Secka said the congress has aims to promote the collective interests of ATA against the vagaries of a cruel world overrun by an acute economic meltdown. He said the 35th congress comes at a time when the hospitality industry is still reeling from the consequences of the global financial crisis, and the recent volcanic ash crisis. He then enjoined the gathering to ensure that the travel and tourism industry once again takes its firm footing, saying that the Banjul Congress must result in setting out clear objectives, opening up more borders for African travelers with less bureaucratic procedures, and governments to implementing all ratified protocols. All these, he said, must be achieved.
Also addressing the congress, The Gambia’s minister for Tourism and Culture, Mrs. Fatou Mas Jobe Njie said she felt great that the ATA congress was being held in The Gambia. She related this to the government’s keen interest in tourism promiotion and development. She went further to pinpoint the numerous benefits attached to tourism, such as driving economic growth, generating employment opportunities and improving the living conditions of the rural folk. She also buttressed the importance of the public private sector partnership in the drive to harness the benefits of tourism.
For her part, Hon. Shamsa Mwangunga, Tanzania’s minister for Natural Resources and Tourism and ATA International president notes that African countries have made steady increases in terms of tourists’ arrivals in the continent despite the challenges of the past decade. She said sub Saharan Africa will continue to benefit more as ATA will serve as a forum to consolidate these gains for the benefits of the different countries.
Mrs. Mwangunga further noted that the opportunities and potentials of tourism in Africa are huge and are not similar to those of other continents. She said the congress would thus help the continent to make resolutions which will bolster its chances and also give it the opportunity to share experiences and learn from each other.
The executive director of ATA Mr. Edward Bergmann who also showered encomium on The Gambia and ATA gave a brief history of ATA which was born in 1975. He cited the recommendations of the Cairo Congress among which is the adequate utilization of the tourism potentials of Africa. According to him, conclusions reached at the Banjul Congress will have a positive impact on the rest of the continent.
Among the delegates at the ATA 35th annual congress are the Tourism minister of Senegal, two deputy ministers of Liberia, leading tour operators, travel agents, the press, tourism students, stakeholders in the travel and tourism industry. The 3-day event will come to an end on May 20, 2010. The Gambia last hosted the ATA Congress in 1984.
