By Tabora Bojang
With the first tourist flight of the season already arived to much fanfare and hope, Tourism officials have however said they are worried about threats of instability that can derail the confidence built around this year’s season.
Speaking to journalists at the welcome ceremony of the first flight, Friday, the Director General of the Gambia Tourism Board Abubacarr Camara said, specifically, he is worried that the November 11 protest planned by the Coalition of Progressives could affect the new tourism season because there is no guarantee that it is going to be peaceful.
“This is our fear. Even the timing is wrong,” Abubacarr Camara told journalists.
He added that what Gambians should do at all times is to promote the maintenance of peace because that is the best way to solve any problem that the country is facing. “The Gambia’s asset is its reputation as a peaceful country and that is why we all have to sensitise fellow citizens on the need to preserve that. Demonstrations are not going to help that image,” DG Camara said.
53 flights weekly
Mr. Camara disclosed that the coming season looks very promising with about 20 chartered and 33 scheduled flights expected weekly in Banjul.
“This is a great achievement. We all know we are coming from a very difficult time with the Covid-19 pandemic. So this a big come back. We want to encourage our stakeholders to improve their standards with the little resources they have because we will not compromise standards. Our inspectors will be going round and we will not mind closing any business found below standard,” he warned.
