By Kebba AF Touray
Mr. Abdoulie Jobe, the Minister of Tourism and Culture, has said that work is in progress to develop regulations for international tour operators in the Gambia.
He said this on Wednesday 4th December 2024 while replying to a question put to him by the Member for Wuli East, Hon. Suwaibou Touray.
Minister Jobe, replied that they have guidelines and they are transforming them into regulations, and “these regulations, are to regulate the activities of the tour guides, ground-tour operators and even have certain regulations in respect for international tour operators”.
He said, “The work is in progress”.
Asked about the tour operators in the Gambia, who appoint their nationals as tour guides among other positions, Minister Jobe said that the Ministry is aware of foreign tour operators appointing their nationals as tour guides, and tour reps.
“Following inquiries, which I made with tour ground handling and international operators, the use of nationals of international tour operators, appointing their nationals as tour reps and or tour guides, depends on what contract they sign between the ground handling operators and international operators,” he said.
He added that in some cases, the tour representatives are nationals of the international tour operator and work directly for the international tour operator, with reference to Rainbow Tour Guides, which is from Holland.
He said, “The government policy is to encourage international tour operators to train and employ Gambians, as their tour reps where possible”.
He averred that in other cases, a tour representative, works for the ground handling tour operator, and “then there are tour guides who are predominantly Gambians,” said Minister Jobe.
Some international tour guides, he said, bring their tour guides because of language issues, and then those tour reps are also tour guides.
