shame about the price ! How many of us can affored £899 for a week. No wonder there are bumsters around. Rich pickings if they can get to the tourists inside. This is not the way the Gambia should be going in terms of developing its tourist trade.This place is an offshoot of the Coconut Residence and is high end. Too many expensive hotels,not enough local development.Too much money going to foreign owners/investors, not enough to local people. Nuff said !
quote:Originally posted by rassimian .............. This is not the way the Gambia should be going in terms of developing its tourist trade.
and which way should it go?. the tourist market is obvioulsy made up of people with different income. those with higher income should not be ignore as well.
i also dont think in the long term it is in the gambia's interest to simply sell itself as a 'cheap' destination.
we must improve and diversify the product. The gambia has the lognest tourism experience in west africa almost 40 years. Luxury hotels are needed to attract high spending tourist as well.
finally i think you still have a choice. Competition is good.
njucks. Know what you're saying. The high end/low end of the tourist market exists in almost every country.My point is that Gambia has seen an increase in high end hotel construction over the past few years but is the tourists money really going into helping Gambian people. Not if ,say you pay for a package holiday at Coco Beach. You pay air company for the flight,hotel owners for accommodation,travel agents for booking your holiday and you may never go out of that hotel because food is inclusive and other facilities are provided. These hotel complexe's want you to stay inside their facilities. Wonder how many tourists at Coco Beach wander off into Serrekunda say to visit the market or go to local people's houses? Not many I bet. Even at the Badala Park level they want you to spend your money inside rather than outside. I favour local development of appartments or rooms to let away from the hotel areas so local people benefit. This is how Gambia can improve and diversify.
quote:Originally posted by rassimian ................. This is how Gambia can improve and diversify.
well i dont think just taking one route is safe or sensible. ALL hotels want guests to stay/spend most of their money indoors. also the example you gave is for package holidays. let say for example you DON'T BOOK a package holiday. then what?
i dont think people at the high end (high spending tourist) are into packages. the bottom line for me is that all segments of the market should be target and the country should have facilities for all types of tourists.
that in itself is diversity.
in fact hotels are not only built for tourists or mass tourism.
Topic Locked
Posted - 12 Jun 2009 : 16:15:38
