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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
 Posted - 12 Oct 2006 : 23:38:53
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Kondorong I agree with you the problem seems to be that policy makers within the industry tend to run with sound baits instead of using Consultants to conduct research to focus more intensely on issues affecting all stakeholders in the industry. Policy Makers also seem to be subservient to tour operators in fact it makes one question who is really incharge of the industry. There also needs to be a lot of stagnancy within Gambia Tourism Strategy which seems to be reactionary lead. When the government banned all inclusive tours it was a step in the right direction since however they have lacked the necessary will to inforce the law on Hotels who are openly flaunting it.This is counterproductive in fact Gambia would attract more tourist if they publicised the benefits of Ethical Tourism expanded indigenious tourism amd contintential tourism. Gambians themselves need to be encouraged to visit the beaches for recreation and not to leave them soley for tourists and Bumsters. Therefore its important that security of the beaches is done in an appropriate way, not excessively. The beach is a national resource for all to enjoy and should be kept clean and tidy for all to use.
Bumster has played an important part in being unofficial Ambassdors to the country and must be applauded for their service. However the negative side of bumster service today seems to be the most profitable part of it. This is the part that deserves no tolerance.
The Foreign Exchange needs to seep into Gambia and not be returned to Europe. It is why transparency and more monitoring and evaluation of codes of practice of the Authorities should be brought under better scrutiny to make sure that the foreign revenue filters into the country stimulating agriculture etc. This what the Ethical Tourism policy was supposed to do. So maybe the SOS of Tourism needs to rethink Gambia's Tourist Strategy and put into place regulations that will benefit Gambia's economy and not just Tour opeartors profits.
Peace
Sister Omega
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Peace
Sister Omega |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2006 : 00:04:47
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sISTER OMEGA
I now dont believe that you a sister in the diaspora. You know Gambia more than anyone here. The seeming character of an african descent living in the UK is not you unless there are two sister omegas on the forum |
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2006 : 00:08:57
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You make laugh I will borrow a quote from my son who says "I was born to break stereotypes!" Remember today's Diaspora are the 6 Zone of Africa, and Kondorong Africa is in my heart 24/7.
Peace
Sister Omega |
Peace
Sister Omega |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2006 : 13:17:18
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quote:
Originally posted by kondorong
The problem of bumpsters is directly dependent on the rate of job creation. No one wants to walk the beaches hoping to scrape a living through harassing or begging. It takes a distressed and hopeless person to swallow one's pride and beg.
All Bumpsters want to have descent jobs, be able to take responsibility. However, if society is too focused on free market where only those with the economic might, dictate what we can and cannot do, small fries like Bumpsters have to find way to provide for themselves. It indicates to policy planners that there is the need to fix the economy to create jobs.
Gambians are very proud people and i am sure desperation must have driven many to be walking on the beaches looking for handouts. However, along the way, those who have benefited from the free enterprise and want to enjoy the beach are also branded as Bumspters and stopped by tourist police. Like Bob Marley said, “..when the rain falls, it does not fall on one man's house..”. Like in Mandingo: KULU KANG SUMUNA.
When i walk the beach, i cannot help looking over my shoulder for the guilt of being branded a bumpster. NO WONDER THE HOTELS GRIND TO A HALT AFTER THE TOURIST SEASON BECAUSE POLICIES ARE NOT GEARED TOWARDS GAMBIANS ALSO ENJOYING THE FACILITIES.
Most Gambians who have dined in hotels were there mainly as a result of government or some company functions in which they were participants. Private individuals do go there but it is very much limited to such people in their private times. The demography is almost the same people either in official capacity or private indulgence. Hardly many come to the hotels outside this group. It largely explains why poverty workshops are always held at five star hotels in air-conditioned room far detached from the poor. Such an environment does not stimulate thinking towards the poor. However, having such workshops in Yoro Bawol, under the mango trees, and drinking warm WONJO (local juice) and having NYELENG (local dish for lunch), will at least make policy planners understand and appreciate what the poor go through. “He who feels it knows it all”
There is an unwritten principle that a Gambian around the hotels must be a waiter or room service employee only there to serve the tourist or another bumpster to be stopped. I never liked the all-inclusive package introduced where tourist eat sleep and drink only in their hotel tagged with bands like in a hospital. That was the worst we could ever think of. It leads to low job creation in the Gambia but creates jobs in the countries Tourist come from. For example, tourists from Holland come with their own food to the Gambia because most of Gambian dairy and poultry foods are from Holland and as such, by coming to Gambia, they are in fact creating more jobs in their country, increasing their country’s export whilst giving us a negative balance of trade. The all-inclusive package also confines tourist to the hotel and drove local businesses out of the TDA, because the hotels were licensing stalls within at exorbitant prices.
This need to reduce costs and have access to the locals by the tourist is what has led to a second tier of self-employed people called BUMSPETRS. It is a known and accepted fact even by Government that Gambia does not attract high spending tourist and therefore must find ways to make the most of what they came with. Gambia does not have the kind of landscape or wildlife you will find in the MASAI MARA or SERENGETI, OR KRUEGER PARKS. The East African Rift Valley is endowed with wildlife and as such hing spening tourist who can afford cost go there. I also understand that in every generalisation, ther must be exception but generalisation is based majority attributes. It’s a long policy failure that responded too late after damage has been done.
If we believe in free market principles of demand and supply, then suppliers only supply when there is a demand. There is a demand for BUMPSTER service and unfortunately, there are far more willing suppliers than the demand thanks to low job creation in the economy. Ordinarily, suppliers would cut production to reduce loses but there are economic variables and reasons why suppliers would still supply at low prices. Some of these is the hope that demand might go up, some still want to maintain their good will, whilst others might continue because they have no option. Bumpsters fall in the last category.
Economics teaches us that in such a situation, prices fall. The fall in prices here is manifested as a menace that has become the trademark of Bumpsters who compete among themselves by doing services for almost free and the fierce competition to "sell" their services means having to invade the private space of tourist. Its a cut throat competition and even in regulated and institutionalised businesses, this takes place in the form of mergers, buy-outs etc. Bumpster are also responding to the economic principles of free market thanks to low job creation as many would have left the beaches and settle down. The problem will never go away until we stop being importers to being exporters in value added industries that add value to exports and also create jobs.
Perhaps the controls on Bumpsters are working but it has led to another avenue to provide hope. The boat people to Spain has become lucrative. Through out human history, man has always wanted to take control of his destiny and comfort. If organize institutions like government do not provide the enabling environment for survival and hope, society provides for itself whether legally or illegally. Our instincts to survive will always kick in, and to live we must to continue and perpetuate the continued survival of the human specie.
The most successful people are not those who look for opportunities but those who create the opportunities.
Kondorong, I support every single word of your view. |
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toubab1020
12314 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2006 : 13:35:40
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| This is just the same as bye bye bumsters topic,isn't it? |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2006 : 17:32:51
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quote:
Originally posted by toubab1020
This is just the same as bye bye bumsters topic,isn't it?
I did not see that topic sorry. I will look at it.
Are you feeling lonely there? |
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Kololiboy
Gambia
15 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2006 : 21:30:21
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Sister & Njucks
If you go to the Gambian Government website and read
The Tourism Offences Act 2003
All the law that is needed to sort all the "bumster" problems is there all it needs is enfocing in a proper manner
Unfortunatly it wont happen |
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toubab1020
12314 Posts |
Posted - 13 Oct 2006 : 23:13:24
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quote:
Originally posted by kondorong
quote:
Originally posted by toubab1020
This is just the same as bye bye bumsters topic,isn't it?
I did not see that topic sorry. I will look at it.
Are you feeling lonely there?
Perhaps yes,but I shall return Home in a month or so then I shall not be lonely.
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"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Drammehkangi
Sweden
40 Posts |
Posted - 14 Oct 2006 : 14:08:12
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The Bumster scenario in The Gambia has come to the attention of researchers as far back as the 1970s, forwarded, discussed and put on deef ears. A paper "Revisiting The Gambia; adressing sex tourism and bumsing" has discussed this phenomena in detail and was serialised by The Daily Observer in The Gambia in 2005. That paper suggests that, over the years, a parasol of works emanating from academics, consultants, freelance journalist, have been writing about the dilemma of social ills as consequence of tourism development in The Gambia. As far back as 1979 Wagner suggests that the older generation of Gambians have complained about the plight of their sons being exploited by tourists. Similar problems were reported by Steffen and Diane in 1986, in their study of “tourism and culture change in Bakau Old Town”. Since then, many reports were given by the media around Europe suggesting that Gambia has become a sex tourist destination. Very recently, Hernbäck, 2003; and Hamada, 2004; also reported that sex tourism have been taking place in The Gambia since in the 1970s. Hernbäck went further suggesting that older Swedish women have been buying sex from young Gambian men for a long time. bumsing and sex are therefore interelated. It begins with a woman paying for a drink and entry to night clubs. Phillips (2001) suggests ”a guest mate could be one in five couples on the beaches and perhaps one in three couples at certain nightclubs.The poor unemployed youths who should have benefited from the significance of tourism, have resorted to finding ways and means of getting nearer to tourist on the beaches to get to the big money. This group referred to as “bumsters”, beach boys who normally go around the beaches and hotels offering private guiding trips, and trying to make friends with tourists, as a way of earning money, are no where classified in the labour market or seen as the progressive worker type. They provide private guiding trips, which consequently ends up with other social outings, and goes on to the extremes. This variant of informal way of providing services usually doesn't include outright prostitution, as some locals both male and females consider it a kind of making their way out to Europe in search of “greener pasture”. Candidly, sustainable development goes along with human resource and an educated society. A society that is brain drain is a dead society. “Bumsing” is accused of corrupting the minds of school children, resulting in massive dropouts sorting out to the beaches around the tourism development area triggering the need for illicit activities by the youths. For example it is said to trigger the need for economic deprived youths to indulge in prostitution, creating the risk of public health issues and even criminality. Simply, others have seen people involved with tourists going around in flashy clothes and some money in their wallets, consequently seeing tourists as an easy prey for economic gains. The Gambia has high unemployment rates and no welfare system, so for school dropouts it's not easy to make ends meet, and being a bumster is an obvious temptation (Moxon, 2002). “Tourists are rich, stupid and easy meat, and it sure beats having to work the peanut fields for a living”. It is not surprising that some people would even be prepared to grant tourists’ sexual access in exchange for cash or a flight ticket to Europe. The reasons for these are that the industry is seen as glamorous with false associations. Really, the down sides are far overweighing and needs attention now!
A report released recently by the Government of The Gambia and UNICEF also reveals that sexual abuse and exploitation of children is on the rise in The Gambia. This report also finds that children are being targeted for sexual relations by adult foreigners and nationals. According to UNICEF, “many children engaged in prostitution spoke of their envy of girls involved in prostitution – their clothes, style and hanging out at nightclubs,…being a sex worker means having access to a lot of cash to buy jeans, shoes, to go to beauty salons for hair and nail care to show off at beach parties and nightclubs.” Another interesting observation is the plight of refugees’ girls around The Senegambia Beach Area. It is an open a secret that, that area has become the “Blue Light” district in The Gambia, were one can witness both the bumsters and the tourism security personnel acting more as pims for prostitutes. In 2002, around 64 foreign women working in prostitution mainly from Nigeria, Senegal, and Sierra Leone were deported from The Gambia following major night raids around the Tourist Development Area. Certainly, for the fact that “bumsters” are an annoyance to many tourists, Nyang (2005) remarks that 67% of tourists that visited The Gambia in a past survey reported that they had a bad experience with “bumsters” and would not like to come back to The Gambia. This coupled with other abnormalities will simply causes The Gambia to lose customers whose spending would have massive impact in the economy. For such reasons, government have put in place security personnel to take care of the situation, with little understanding that it is not “bumsing” that is the problem but the “concept” of bumsing. Consequently, and even security personnel are seen as “bumsters”. This is why the problem persists and continues as a vicious circle; otherwise they should have by now been able to tackle the problems of child sex tourism, which is reported now and then in European media.Increasingly The Gambia is earning a reputation of paedophile sex tourism and Gambian police are accused of not taking the growing problem seriously, and are even said to be cooperating with criminal gangs, often read along the lines in many reports. Afro News (2004) reports that, child sex tourism in The Gambia is increasing alarmingly while Gambian police had dedicated little resources to fight the problem. They report traces of organised pimping and more occasional intermediary services by hotel guards, taxi drivers and others in contact with tourists. They observed that, as the child sex industry was becoming better organised, children are caught in prostitution networks. For the mean time, the police in Europe know very little about what goes on in African countries. “We stumble on child pornography pictures and films that are made in Africa but we don’t even know which countries they come from” says Havard Aksnes of Kripos (Norwegian Criminal Police). Several countries have severe laws making sex with children a serious offence, for their nationals or inhabitants even if practiced abroad. Tourism Offences Act 2003 is in The Gambia and hopefully this act will be use in full force to save our children and the nation. the Gambian police force issued a warning that it will continue to hunt down pedophiles. In February 2003, a gang of pedophiles in the Tourism Development Area around Kololi and Manjaikunda were uncovered by the Police. All arrested were European tourists who rented a full apartment and sexually abused girls under 16 years of age (observer, 2003). The Gambia has a Code of Conduct of The Gambia Tourism Authority Act for the protection of children, and sexual abuse which GTA is striving hard to send out this message to potential tourists during trade fairs around Europe, and it would now be the job of stakeholders and the security personnel to see to it that these efforts are met amicably. In May 2004, a Norwegian teacher was also charged by Norwegian police with sexual abuse of a 12-year-old boy in The Gambia.
Certainly, the securities with all due respect are trying their best, just that there are some scrupulous elements among them who are also doing more harm than good, just as bumsters do. It is against this background that a proper recruitment and selection procedures should be enforced, as well to train and educate tourist security personnel on tourism issues and its impact to the socio-economy. Infact, a more serious approach is required to this security, “bumster” and “Sex tourism” issue. Some researchers have simply exaggerated the problems based on collaborators interest but it still deserves prompt attention. It is one of the many impacts that are the most common theme of research in tourism (Pearce, 1989).
As a service industry it is generally acknowledged that tourism is labour intensive and that one of the major impacts of tourism development, particularly at a regional and local level, is job creation. Arguably, The Gambia has not been prepared in the way forward with its tourism product; it simply contradicted employment potentials of the industry and must fix. Writing in the context of The Gambia, Ohare and Evans, (1995) suggests strategies for sustainable tourism development based on long-term holistic planning, including appropriate resource development, community involvement, education and training. For years, there has only been a hotel training school in the country, poorly equipped and lacks the required faculties to be considered a proper hospitality and tourism training institute.It was therefore essential to develop a critical perspective towards tourism development, training and education. Given the potential for interesting and rewarding careers in the industry many young people are looking for suitable courses which will help prepare them for careers in management within the tourism and hospitality industries. Certainly, none of the traditional academic disciplines alone provides the necessary knowledge and expertise for tourism administration and management. An interdisciplinary approach is essential, making tourism an ideal subject for multidisciplinary study. The Gambia cannot expect to develop a sustainable tourism practices without educated and trained people in the field of tourism. The country need to build and nurture the domestic capacity critical for the long-term success of its tourism industry, so that education policies should be revamped to incorporate tourism programs in school curricula from primary to tertiary levels. Such a move has been confirmed by Senghore (GTA Director General, 2006), revealing that a school curricula for teaching tourism in schools has already been developed. Students should not only learn about these attractions/resources in their courses, but they also should be actively encouraged and required to make field trips to these sites. This is particularly important because research suggests that interest in the activities that most people engage in as adults were first developed during childhood and adolescence (Mcguire, Dottavio & O'Leary, 1987). Consequently, by encouraging the involvement of school children in their formative and impressionable years, The Gambia will be creating a cadre of future industrialists to sustain quality tourism. Thus investment should be focus more on education, and training.
This “bumster” scenario is sometimes overemphasised on by industrialist as problematic, but Bah and Goodwin, suggests that although they are an annoyance for many tourists, others enjoy the opportunities to engage with Gambians and to make a difference (Bah and Godwin). It thus seems that, even though “bumsing” is considered as disruptive for the industry some industrials might be using it as a bid to guard their economic interests, simply to save guard the “all inclusive” monopoly. In this regard, many destinations are moving away from traditional mainstream type of tourism and now creating experiences for their customers. Instead of circulating promotional materials with illustrations featuring how fantastic the beaches in The Gambia are and keeping tourists away from the local population, they should provide products that give room for entrepreneurship and better economic gains for the local population, that deserts people from losing their cultural values, dignity and pride by loitering around the beaches. Such products will contribute to the well being of the local population and maximise the foreign exchange earnings of the government much more than the tourism practice witnessed presently. The persistent of manpower problems in most developing countries with inadequate supply of trained personnel, particularly in government agencies responsible for the implementation and monitoring of standards and environmental regulations in tourism, have been noted by The Commission on Sustainable Development (1996).
According to Bah and Goodwin, these young men do so (Bumsing) because for a significant number of their predecessors it has made a difference to their own and their families’ opportunities. Certainly, this seems logical but the fact of the matter is that many tourists have taken advantage of the situation of these poor hustlers and reduce them to nothing but beggars, and worst of all into school drop outs, prostitutes, drug peddlers, pims, and petty criminals. With these competing views, it is therefore logical to conclude that enough is yet to be done in terms of solutions in order to make tourism a more beneficial and less destructive development endeavour. Complacently, many things are taken for granted and poverty takes most of the blame. Whilst the positive economic impacts brought about through “bumsing” seems to be romancing the benefits at a large scale, as well as the security issues deserves proper scientific study. Because most bumsters are ill informed and lack proper training they seem to be an easy pray for sex tourists or forgers of links for such types of tourists. Their friendship and so called relationships with tourists also needs a realistic view than simply concluding it as progressive. It is noted that a large number of repeat visitors bring school materials, medicines and sometimes cars and other equipment to create or enhance livelihood opportunities for poor Gambians are friends to local people who come in contact with tourists. According to Bah and Godwin, this kind of “person to person” aid is significant and increasing, and also plays a major part in the development of relationships between Gambians and visitors. However, it is essential to do a more proper research of the situation.
For instance, it is true that many Scandinavians have brought people from The Gambia in to their respective countries whose relationships started as tourist/bumster relationship; lure them into relationships that hardly last two years! We also know that most of these people tourist mingle with are ill-educated, and ill-trained in practical jobs, or even as tour guides. Instead of helping them to get basic education or vocational training in The Gambia they bring them to Europe where they end up facing the hard realities of an advanced and more sophisticated labour market, hard to offer them any meaningful jobs. They end up living in “sky scrappers in the air”, indulged in criminality and other funny ways of making money. The rest of the scenario is up to common knowledge! Experience also shows that few are engaged in some form of schooling, and while we are yet to count them in numbers (boys brought by tourists), it is seldom heard in Scandinavia that one of them is graduating from any form formal training or schooling!
Although “bumsters” help to make a difference in repeat customer statistics, but the spread of a meaningful economic benefits beyond individual level is yet to be confirmed. It is also not fair to conclude there. Tourism is an economic system where people must benefit from as they are part of the products being advertised. This put weight to the influential way bumsters engage tourists in private excursions, thereby creating economic activity in the form of hiring taxi drivers, taking tourists to villages and some sites where they buy things from local communities and give out presents. Other contributions of bumsters to the economy involve bringing sales to tourist markets, wood cavers in exchange for commissions (Bah and Goodwin, 2003). They claim in one survey that the bumsters would not operate as they do if it was not profitable and if there were no role models to emulate. Yes really, this bumster phenomena needs a better scientific approach than present subjective views.
It is therefore arguable that instead of advocating for more tourists arrivals, it is better striving for quality tourism were the multiplier effect of tourism is spread to a level that can support other industries in The Gambia, in turn help in stabilising the economy and the human resource wastage hampering the country. Mass tourism characterised by features of high volume, large scale, enclave forms of tourism development has been criticised for the degree of external control and for failing to deliver on promised economic benefits while causing severe social disruptions (Britton; Rodenburg; O’Grady in Pears, 1989). "I dream of a day when gambia can produce something Gambian...have never seen a people who have written their own warrants and subject themselves at the will of others to carve their destiny" (kondorong). I agree with the author. It is only Gambians who can save The Gambia.The social ills caused by tourism development in The Gambia are so simplistic, and could be countered if more realistic stance are taken by authorities.
Yaya
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Edited by - Drammehkangi on 14 Oct 2006 14:31:22 |
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 15 Oct 2006 : 15:12:56
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Tourism dependency is a recipe for diaster and we have seen the costs of this outdated model on the social infrastruture of Gambia. A level playing field is needed to readdress these problems and as the new tourist season begins will anything really change for the struggling workers in the tourist sector? I wonder!
Peace
Sister Omega |
Peace
Sister Omega |
Edited by - Sister Omega on 15 Oct 2006 15:14:56 |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 16 Oct 2006 : 18:55:31
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Drammehkanji
You sure know your stuff. I like your postings and please help enlighten us. You have a vast reservoir of knowledge as far as tourism is concerned. Gambia needs people like you but my problem is intellectual honesty is not very much appreciated right now. Transparency, accountability and probity of the hey days of 1994, have become the biggest enemies of our political systems. |
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leokat
United Kingdom
123 Posts |
Posted - 16 Oct 2006 : 20:19:32
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quote:
Originally posted by Drammehkangi
The Bumster scenario in The Gambia has come to the attention of researchers as far back as the 1970s...
Wow what a posting! I hope you have put your obvious intelligence and understanding of the issues to good and practical use.
Personally I think that (correctly referenced) your posting is worthy of (assumimg you don't already have one) a module of a degree in social sciences.
Wish I'd written it  |
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Drammehkangi
Sweden
40 Posts |
Posted - 16 Oct 2006 : 21:36:52
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Kondorong
While tourism provides economic opportunities for many destinations, it may also represent a threat in terms of the potential degradation of the resources and sidelining of the community and the benefits that tourism can provide. I have previously discussed some issues hampering our industry, and provided some suggestions; see http://www.gmtourism.se/Research%20Projects.asp
Yes, intellectual dishonesty, greed, couple with lack of wisdom is a problem among our scholars, and many cannot speak their mind. It is not yet scienfitically true that this so call "bumster scenario" is the fault of those engaged in it. Infact, the way we are trying to tacle the problem is very subjective in my opinion, and I would like to see a more realistic stand different from what we are experiencing today. Yes, "bumsing" is a problem, but there is a cause to it. As long as that root cause of the problem is not investigated and tacled in a honest way, we will always see "Bumsing" in differnt styles and fashion. Many "bumsers" are now pims. When you become more harsh on them, they become more sofiticated.
“Tourism can destroy tourism... and as a resource user can destroy resources, and through destroying the resources which gives rise to tourism, makes the resource- based tourism short-lived” (Picard, 1995:45).
Tourism is about the nature and the environment in a host destination used as an input factor for the tourist product to become an economic activity. More often, the negative effects of the growth of tourism on a destination have had serious environmental deterioration, affecting both the human and natural environment and cultural heritage (Spink, 1994). When nature and the environment are used by the tourism sector as a product, it is a matter of an economic decision-making, that not only the production factors such as labour and capital, but also the production factor nature and the environment are used in producing the tourist product (Bramwell, et al, 1996). Supporting this argument, traditional economic analysis often defines a good as economic if the good has a price. The goods of tourism industry is the nature and environment of host destinations, which governments of many developing countries has seen as a mechanism for economic development with potentials for investment opportunities. In the tourist sector, however, a price is seldom paid for using nature and the environment as an input factor, which are the main focus of a tourism product (Bramwell, et al, 1996). Tourism is an economic activity that involves a multifaceted activity, and for its development to achieve sustainable development, which is normally understood to require long-term economic growth, Kirkpatrick,(2001) suggests that the environmental protection and social justice, particularly in the form of poverty reduction must be understood.
International tourism has been criticised as a dependency theory, which induces “a process of historical conditioning which alters the functioning of economic and social sub-systems within developing countries. Dependency theory in the context of tourism was forwarded by Sharpley (2003) citing Dos Santos, suggesting a conditioning situation in which the economies of one group of countries are conditioned by the development and expansion of others. “Less developed countries display external political and economic structures that maintain their dependency on the metropolitan centre; they are unable to develop unless ‘permitted’ to do so by the West” (Sharpley, 2003:248). According Britton (1982) this condition causes the simultaneous disintegration of an indigenous economy and its reorientation to serve the needs of exogenous markets.” Thus, tourism suppliers in developing countries have very often underlined their weak bargaining position in business transactions, particularly with dominant suppliers of the most important originating tourism market from developed countries. The industry has been characterized by a high degree of monopoly, which implies a concentration of services and profits into very few big transnational corporations (Song, 2004). They continue to dominate the international tourism market. According to World Tourism Organization (WTO, 1997a) estimates, about 80% of international tourism projects (including international hotel and airline) are controlled by trans-national Corporations. These companies have an almost unhindered access to markets and use this to drive down the cost of supply of goods and services, as well as control. Given such kind of a structure, Shaw and Williams (2002:148) cites Gamble, 1989; for instance, giving example of The Gambia who suffers some of the greatest leakages and consequently has some of weakest economic benefits of tourism. The classical question then is how does Gambians benefit from tourism? Is local participation a treat to businesses in terms of behaviours, relative benefits, costs and risks? How can local participation be made more conducive to good practices?
Sure there are many contraditing issues about tourism and this concept of "bumsing" which many often, is discussed in a subjective manner so no where near a solution to the problem. For instance, even if there are no "bumsters" so to say, for indigenous people in developing countries this development will create new challenges for them becoming tourism exhibits, being photographed, opening their homes and villages to visitors. What does the industrialist call that? Sure they will call it an experience for their customers, and not an "objectimisation" of indigenous local people, which also displays characteristics that are very similar to "bumsing".
The social benefits of tourism, such as meeting people from different cultures, religions and races, can contribute to greater understanding on a global scale and to the promotion of world peace and understanding. So instead of making "bumsing" criminal, we should first accept that the root cause is not tacle properly. |
Edited by - Drammehkangi on 17 Oct 2006 00:42:32 |
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 18 Oct 2006 : 13:34:52
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quote:
The social benefits of tourism, such as meeting people from different cultures, religions and races, can contribute to greater understanding on a global scale and to the promotion of world peace and understanding. So instead of making "bumsing" criminal, we should first accept that the root cause is not tacle properly.
Drammehkangi, Even though Bumsters bring the above benefits, Tourism will dry up if people are put of from going to Gambia because of the hassle they get from Bumsters. Instead of the Authorities having reactionary policies as seen in 2003, now they've decided to make the rules on Bumsing clear. It is unacceptable if a woman is walking along the beach that she has to be mobbed by bumsters. Independent travellers have the right to travel outside of package tours precisely for some of the reasons mentioned in your quote but can easily be put off from visiting the beach.
Bumsters need to get with a more up-to-date programme which clearly state the services they're providing to tourists and the cost of them. That way either side knows what to expect from each other.
Peace
Sister Omega |
Peace
Sister Omega |
Edited by - Sister Omega on 18 Oct 2006 14:20:07 |
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Sister Omega
United Kingdom
2085 Posts |
Posted - 18 Oct 2006 : 14:33:43
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Drammehkangi setting agenda's and formulation of a policy are important but implementation, monitoring and evaluation are essential for a projects overall success. So as you've posted in the theory to set the agenda monitoring has suggested that bumsterism has exceeded demand.They are making the beach unattractive for users who want to disassociate themselves from beach if it equals being harassed. Let's face Gambia is one of numerous beautiful destinations for tourists to choose from. It's weakeness is the tight monopoly tour operators have over it and the tremendous about of power they have in some cases it seems to equal or surpass the government this in itself is unhealthy. Signing up to Responsible Tourism by these Tour Operators is useless when they are no penalities when they deliberately flaunt them on a daily basis and no that they will not be penalised. It is almost comical if wasn't facial that chartered airlines are the official carriers for Gambia.
That Gambia's own airline folded because of one Tour Opeartor's sharp practices. I thought Gambia got it's independence in 1965 I hadn't realised that it was still ruled by Monarch.
Peace
Sister Omega |
Peace
Sister Omega |
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| Bantaba in Cyberspace |
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