(JollofNews) – The Gambia tourism sector accounts for 16 to 20 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according to the country’s 2015/16 Tourism Strategic Document, prepared by the Gambia Tourism Board (GTB).
The document seen by APA on Wednesday said the sector is the second pillar of the country’s economy after agriculture.
It said tourism has provided $45 million of direct investment and $85 million of foreign exchange in 2013 alone.
According to the Director General of GTB, Adboulie Hydara whose statement is contained in the document, the country’s tourism industry is on the verge of regaining its original position regarding the number of tourists arrival, citing the arrival of tourists flights and boats carrying hundreds of tourists from different parts of Europe in October alone, with thousands more expected.
He said last year’s Ebola outbreak in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone has impacted negatively on the arrival of tourists in Gambia, due to wrong reports by the western media on the deadly disease.
