By Mariatou Ngum
The Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration, and Employment has successfully concluded a national stakeholder consultations on the Draft Regulatory Framework for Tourism and Travel-Related Services. The event, held on Thursday, March 7th marked a significant milestone in efforts to strengthen the tourism sector, which stands as one of the five priority sectors under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) protocol.
The initiative aimed to engage key stakeholders in a comprehensive discussion about the proposed regulatory framework developed by the AfCFTA Secretariat. This framework is designed to support market access commitments, address critical challenges within the tourism sector, and promote regulatory coherence across the continent. Furthermore, it emphasises the integration and dissemination of best practices as well as regulatory principles across Africa’s tourism and travel-related services.
In his opening remarks, Deputy Permanent Secretary Abdoulie Jammeh stressed the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to develop a regulatory environment that fosters transparency, sustainability, and competitiveness across various tourism sub-sectors. This initiative, he said is essential for aligning The Gambia’s tourism sector with the broader objectives of the AfCFTA Agreement.
He commended the stakeholders for participating in this important dialogue, noting that their feedback is crucial in shaping a robust regulatory framework that not only addresses current challenges but also sets a solid foundation for the tourism sector in alignment with the AfCFTA.
The consultations have yielded substantial progress in market access negotiations for tourism services. Key areas of discussion included hotels, restaurants, accommodation, travel agencies, tour operations, tourist guide services, and supporting services. The regulatory framework positioned during the consultation is seen as a pivotal step towards enhancing the sector’s contribution to economic growth and regional integration.
