MBOKA, Senegambia Travel Market, was organised by “Association of Small Scale Enterprises in Tourism” (ASSET) in The Gambia and the “National Organisation for Tourism Integration in Senegal” (ONITS) in Senegal, 3rd – 5th December 2009 in Dakar, Senegal.
MBOKA, means “relative”, in the local language, Wolof. MBOKA is about creating cross border opportunities between West African countries and to address issues and difficulties and learn from each other. The fair is a unique opportunity to showcase and promote the Senegambian Tourism Industry to an international audience.
For this edition of MBOKA 2009, the organisers decided on the theme of “Sustainable Tourism and Women Entrepreneurship”. Daouda Niang, Development Manager at ASSET and MBOKA 2009 coordinator explains: “Women play an ever increasing active part in developing our economy and to foster and promote this trend, this years’ Fair has been themed accordingly”.
He adds: “Tourism must be seen as an important and integral sector of the economic development of our country – all sectors of industry are inter-linked and benefit from a thriving tourist trade”.
Tourism is playing an increasingly important part in the development of the West African region, not only in economic terms but also in the preservation of their rich cultural heritage and their environment. To develop tourism and indeed the whole economy along sustainable guidelines the Senegambia tourism industry has taken into consideration socio-economic, environmental and economic principles.
This stance towards sustainable economic development through sustainable tourism is a beacon for the rest of the West African region pointing towards what can be achieved through sustainable means. This being, other countries may just follow suit to make West Africa the next destination for responsible tourists looking for new horizons, awe-inspiring experiences and learning opportunities whilst giving them the option to give back to the destination they visit.
www.senegambiatravelmarket.com
By
Thomas Armitt, West Africa Discovery (www.westafricadiscovery.co.uk)
Linda Veråsdal, Ethical Travel Portal (www.ethicaltravelportal.com)
Get a copy of the postCOP15 Tourism Carbon Guide, Sustainable Tourism Report and Marketing Guide. See:www.travelmole.com/stories/1139697.php
