Responsible tourism story Lessons from the Association of Small Scale Enterprises in Tourism (ASSET Gambia)

1. A
Responsible Tourism Story
Lessons from The Association of Small Scale Enterprises in Tourism
(Adama Bah- ASSET- Gambia)

2. Tourism and In-Dependence
 1965- self rule from Empire-
“Independence”
 1965- Investor in tourism 300
tourists
 1970 Republican status
 1972-White paper on tourism
 Tourism seen as the “black
gold”
 40 Km of beach

3. Impact?
 Increased debt
burden-infrastructure
 Women rice and
vegetable growers
affected
 Fisherpersons affected
 Communities not
compensated for lost
of community land
 Cluster development
 “Bendula” Meeting
concept
 Informal sector
businesses created
 Women participation
in cash trade-
 Traditional Craft -cast
system

4. 1980s Financial Crises!
 Poverty increased;
 inflation accelerated;
 real per capita income declined;
 agricultural production failed;
 shortages of basic commodities
(fuel, rice, etc)
 creditworthiness declined -
donors suspended all aid except
for humanitarian assistance.

5. 1985- ERP
 Workers in the public sector
made redundant
 Foreign currency float – no
fixed rate
 Agricultural subsidies
cancelled
 Government divestiture
programme started with
more redundancy
RESULT
More
dependence
onTourism

6. Tourism Movements
 1994 Military take over
 Travel advice
 Sustainability ofTourism an issue
 1996- campaigned on fairer
tourism mainly targeting
consumers andTour operators
 1999- Inspiration from CSD7 on
tourism and sustainability
 2000- ASSET Formed
 2000-2003 Informal sector
project- market access
 2002- CapeTown inspiration

7. Agenda for Change
2000 informal sector
project….
 Conflicts of interests?
 How can the poor better
access the market?
 How can linkages be
improved?
 Training/licensing/insurance
requirements
 Formal sector participation
 Informal/small enterprises
respect

8. Inspiration: Cape Town Declaration 2002
GTA Directors attended and got Inspired
 Minimises negative environmental,social and cultural impacts;
 Generates greater economic benefits for local people and enhances the wellbeing of
host communities,by improving working conditions and access to the industry;
 involves local people in decisions that affect their lives and life chances.
 makes positive contributions to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage and
to the maintenance of the world’s diversity;
 provides more enjoyable experiences for tourists through more meaningful
connections with local people, and a greater understanding of local cultural and
environmental issues;
 provides access for physically challenged people;
 and is culturally sensitive and engenders respect between tourists and hosts.

9. 2004 BLUE PRINT: Creating
Responsible Tourism Policy
What we wanted to achieve….
 Demonstrate stakeholder responsible behavior – by assuring
compliance and sustainability.
 Comply with ethical business principles, national laws and
international norms.
 Commit to human rights, employee rights, environmental
protection, community involvement, stakeholder rights, right to
access etc. and monitoring.
 Implement Stakeholder Responsibility on 3’ple bottom lines:
environmentally sound, socially just and economically viable for a
better future.
 Market for a better unique destination not just for the numbers

10. Communities as genuine stakeholders
Contributions towards making tourism possible
 Tourism as an investment to make development possible for
people
 Development plans and external debt burden
 Economic: Direct and indirect taxes impact on people’s
poverty
 Cultural: Sell people’s cultural attributes
 Environment: For people to protect the environment provide
alternatives in tourism
 Therefore not for charity but positive development

11. Taking Responsibility…….
What it means to us?
 Beyond “greenwashing” to measurable positive CHANGE
 Take Responsibility: NO outsourcing
 Not small vs. big- Everyone takes responsibility
 Commitment to ethical principles ie addressing social issues
and poverty seriously not just for the money or the
environment.
 Should include the right to say “Yes” or “No” to tourism-
consultation
 Commitment for creating consumer awareness
 Making available resources to implement RT projects;
 Staff training (capacity building);
 Consultation /Collaboration between stakeholders;
 Social and Environmental monitoring and evaluation to
determine progress.

12. Responsibility: Benefit communities and SMEs
Gambian Situation…
 ASSET – training, product design &
development, marketing etc..
 Government: 2011Tourism
Regulations ratified.
 Government legislated the fruit
vendors, local guides, juice pressers,
craft market vendors and tourists taxi
drivers as formal businesses.
 Government- Schedule B ground
operational license introduced for
small operators
 Tour operators, Hotels –Travel
Foundation

13. RT Projects
 2000-2003 Informal
sector access to market.
 2005- GiG project
Linking local vegetable
production to hotels
 2010-2012- Roots
Community excursions-
gate fees, employment,
community development
 “Switch Off and Save Big”
 2011- “Guaranteed
Gambian” craft project

14. GG-Market Access for local craft

15. RT Project implementation…
Achievements Challenges
 Motivated and dedicated
individuals can make it happen
 Participation of government and
tour operators
 Stakeholder’s support
 Mass tourism can make bigger
impacts in terms of economic
returns-proper linkages
 Use of Bottom up and top down
approaches
 Awareness of RT Issues
 Changing dynamics of tourism
 Traditions vs Entrepreneurship
drive
 Access to market for the poor
 Government regulations slow
 Constant monitoring
 Provide subsidies “in transition” –
for the poor
 Short term nature of projects-
cultural shift of beneficiaries not
taken into consideration.
 Exit strategy – who takes over
when beneficiaries are “not ready”

16. RT Project Implementation: Relevance and
Evidence based
Process
 Consult to establish
relevance
 Research to establish
evidence
 What “Barriers”?
 Dialogue
 Build Consensus
 Implement
 Monitor

17. RT Lessons…
RESPONSIBLE TOURISM
PARTNERSHIP
Not just a worthy cause but
good business!
POLICY
 Influence from CapeTown
RT Conference and
declaration in 2002
 RT Policy of the Gambia
done and presented at the
WorldTravel Market in
2004

18. Capacity Building
 ICRT Msc Students sharing
with Gambian Senior
Executives, Managers,ASSET
members etc..
 13 +10 Students on
Commonwealth Scholarships
to Gambians andW/African
 Helped to build Capacity
 Spread word on RT practices
 “ThinkTank” for Gambian
tourism development

19. Irresponsible Tourism:
Take Action!
:- RTP/ASSET/GTA worked with Child Protection Alliance-CPA -to train stakeholderCode of C on Child Sex Tourism signed and dispmany
hoteIssued by GTA
 ASSET/GTB worked with Child Protection
Alliance-CPA -to train stakeholders
 Code of Conduct on Child SexTourism
signed and displayed by many hotels
 Tourism offensesAct (2003)
 Electronic signboard mounted at the Banjul
International Airport.
Child SexTourism is an Issue

20. Consultation and collaboration
all the way
ASSET
• Represent the voiceless: SMEs and
Informal sector
• Build credible institution
• Dialogue… building trust…
and fair play…
• Collaborate not aggressive
competition
• Work with Government and
private operators
• The destination first
• Share and replicate where
possible

21. Thank You!
www.therealgambia.org