By Abba Onyekachukwu, Abuja
The Federal Government (FG), through the Nigerian Tourism Development Authority (NTDA) are seriously planning with The Gambia to collaborate in the area of tourism development.
The two countries came into this agreement at a courtesy visit by a four-man delegation from the west African country, led by Hon. Yakuba Darboe, Chairman of the Brikama Area Council, Western Region.
According to a press statement from the NTDA Press Unit, the delegation was received by Mr. Richard Ovie Esewhaye, the Director overseeing the Office of the Director General, NTDA, and the Management Staff at the Authority’s headquarters in Abuja.
In his remarks, Hon. Darboe described The Gambia as having a long-standing relationship with Nigeria, often referring to the country as the “37th state of Nigeria” due to the cultural and historical ties between both nations. He noted that tourism is the backbone of The Gambia’s economy and that the country is in Nigeria to promote its tourism offerings.
He emphasized the importance of the ECOWAS Free Movement Protocol, stating that West African countries have much to learn from one another in terms of culture, investment opportunities, and tourism development.
“Nigeria, with its large population, presents a ready market for Gambian tourism, and we urge NTDA to include The Gambia when recommending travel destinations,” he added.
The NTDA Director, Esewhaye, lauded the existing relationship between the NTDA and the Gambia Tourism Board. He recalled past engagements, including meetings with the Gambia Investment Forum, and highlighted the need to move beyond agreements on paper to tangible outcomes.
“Though small in size, The Gambia has made remarkable progress in tourism. Nigeria can learn from them, particularly in revenue generation, cultural exchange, and capacity building,” he said, advocating for the establishment of a technical committee to identify concrete areas of collaboration.
Speaking Mr. F.O. Anumba, Director of Special Duties, NTDA, raised concerns about the current lack of direct air connectivity between Nigeria and The Gambia. He stressed that establishing direct flights would greatly enhance tourist traffic and improve bilateral tourism relations.
The visit concluded with the presentation of an Outstanding Leadership and Humanitarian Award to Mr. Esewhaye by Hon. Darboe.