As Mr. Sheikh Tiyan Bah, official representative of the Gambia's Ministry of Tourism and Culture, recently stated, the authorities are interested in expanding tourism inland. So that vacationers are attracted not only to the popular resort area, but also to the opportunity get in touch with the real life of the local population as it is.
This offers the opportunity to spend some time in a Gambian home, living with a family where travelers can experience the local cuisine, customs, and daily habits—in short, everything that makes up the local way of life and culture. It's akin to African agritourism or community-based ecotourism. This kind of "cultural exchange" system already existed in Gambia in the 1960s and 1970s, and now there's a plan to reintroduce it to tourists.
"This would allow many avid travelers to see our lives not from the outside, but from the inside, especially outside the city and resort areas. Because often, they (tourists) are interested in precisely this kind of experience, an authentic environment."
At the same time, this provides more opportunities for contact with nature, especially birdwatching. (Hundreds of birdwatchers and photographers from around the world flock to Gambia every year for its birdlife, and the annual International Bird Festival takes place in the fall.)
Source: trn-news.ru
