The vital role that tourism can play in regional economic development and integration was the focus of a four-day workshop held in the Gambia recently by the Economic Union of the West African States (ECOWAS) together with the Institute of Travel and Tourism of The Gambia (ITTOG) which also acts as the International Centre for Responsible Tourism West Africa (ICRT West Africa).
ECOWAS is an organization of countries which was formed 50 years ago this May and promotes economic integration between twelve member states including Benin, Cabo Verde, Cote d’ Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Toga.
In his introductory remarks, Tony Elumelu, ECOWAS director of the private sector explained the training workshop would support the implementation of the ECOWAS tourism regional policy ECOTOUR 19-29, and support tourism officials in improved compliance with ECOWAS tourism regulations and policies. The workshop was also designed to foster a collaborative environment among stakeholders and enhanced cooperation among member states in promoting regional tourism.
Understanding tourism as a tool for development is acknowledged in the development agenda of both developing and developed parts of the world. This multifaceted industry heavily makes use of nature, culture, society, heritage and environment for its growth and development. With a high linkage effect, tourism cuts across the economy, society and environment creating both positive and negative impacts. How to minimize negative impacts and maximize the positives is the major question being addressed by policy makers, planners and administrators.
The workshop ran between 17 to 21 March 2025, with presentations on the ECOWAS tourism policy, development of a tourism template based on the policy, responsible tourism policy of The Gambia, guidelines to sustainable energy and environmental management in tourism, food safety guidelines in tourism and tourism planning and development.
The deliberation on the Gambia responsible tourism policy was run by Dr. Adama Bah, chairman of the board of Directors of ITTOG, ICRT West Africa and director of ICRT global. Adama highlighted the need to use responsible tourism as an effective tool for ensuring sustainable development in ECOWAS member states. He mentioned the triple bottom line adopted in responsible tourism practices and how social, economic and environmental responsibilities should benefit all stakeholders in the tourism supply chain including the tourists as a guest and the local community as the host. Adama also encouraged participants to enter the WTM Africa Responsible Tourism Awards and to consider registering for the ICRT global online training as a means of showcasing the positive sustainable practices they achieve and enhancing their awareness of responsible tourism sustainable initiatives.”
At the end of the workshop, group works were done with participants tasked to harmonize the Gambia Responsible Tourism policy and the ECOWAS regional tourism policy. It was seen that this would help in updating the 2004 Gambia responsible tourism policy and provide an example of harmonizing tourism policies within member states and that of the ECOTOUR 2019-2029.
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