By Nyima Bah
The Minister of Tourism, Hamat Bah has expressed optimism that with the new Covid-19 rules announced by Britain, the next tourist season will be good.
Addressing an audience during the meet-the-people tour in Niamina Dankunku, Minister Bah said tourists planning come to The Gambia from the UK will not be subjected to any Covid test or quarantine on their return if they are fully vaccinated.
He said his ministry will encourage Britons to come to The Gambia on holiday.
“Also, The Gambia is among the only two countries in the world that the British Government may allow to travel to the United Kingdom without being asked to provide any Covid-19 certifying documents,” he said.
Minister Bah said the UK has also lifted some of the conditions for those with diplomatic passports, saying the agreement was reached after the government had a meeting with the British High Commissioner in Banjul.
“The British Government will send a team to The Gambia who will consult with the Ministry of Health to look at the country’s Covid-19 certification process and if they are satisfied, then Gambians who want to travel to the UK will be given access even without providing Covid-19 certifying documents,” he said.
“The British Government is now allowing British citizens to come to Gambia to spend their holidays and other European countries will follow soon. They believe Gambia is a safe place where you can visit and spend your holidays. When the British Government made that pronouncement, President Adama Barrow wasted no time in ordering the ministries of health, tourism and their technical staff to action,” Minister Bah added.
Minister Bah said President Barrow wants to see the Gambian youth that lost their jobs to be engaged again.
“The president wants to see the tourism industry back after its closure due to Covid-19. These are things that have been his major concern. Therefore, the two ministries have agreed that with effect from the 1st October any visitor to the Gambia with a certificate that shows he/she is fully vaccinated is free to come to the country without PCR test or rapid test and the person will not be quarantined.”
