Gambia and the right to a livelihood

Eco-Local Tourism - The Gambia - A beach restaurant run by locals. ©Tourism Concern

Outcomes

In 1999, the Gambian government banned all-inclusive resorts in recognition of their detrimental economic impacts for local tourism traders. However, European tour operators strongly opposed the ban and it was lifted a year later.

The issue

All-inclusive holidays, where board, meals and entertainment are included in the price and provided within the resort, are very popular with British tourists. However, such holiday packages are often strongly opposed by local people, who hardly benefit because tourists tend to remain inside the resort. In The Gambia, a survey of local people dependent on the tourism industry found 99% opposed all-inclusives because local restaurants, bars, guides and taxi-drivers were losing business to the resorts, which are mainly controlled by foreign companies.

Our campaign

Tourism Concern worked closely with a local NGO, Gambia Tourism Concern, to raise the issue with British tour operators and the British travel press in order to increase both tourists’ and tour operators' understanding about the local opposition to all-inclusives.