Africa-Press – Gambia. Dozens of vendors at Bakau Craft Market have revealed that many tourists are not visiting the Gambia due to the high tax they pay at the airport.
Speaking to the Voice Newspaper, Sainey Singhateh the President of Bakau Craft Market reveals that at the moment business is not working out as expected. “We are in the off season. The business is very dull. For the past months we come to the market sit the whole day without any sale. It is because we don’t have anything to engage in other than this,” he complained. He disclosed that he has been engaged in tourism sector since 1973. “The off season is very difficult to handle as a family man. We encounter a lot of challenges during the off season,” Singhateh lamented.
According to him, it is only Allah (God), the Almighty who is helping them at the moment without that most families will suffer.
“The tourists that visit the country are the Scandinavians. They play a key role in the tourism sector. I don’t know why the tourism ministry cannot target the Americans they can also play critical role in the country’s tourism boost drive,” he suggested.
For her part, Isatou Jallow another vendor echoed similar sentiments about the business trend in the country. “To be honest it is sad and difficult to bear. We depend on this business to feed our families and sort out other issues. The dependency rate is very high but the income to satisfy the needs is low,” she remarked.
Mrs. Jallow pleaded with the tourism ministry and the government to reduce the tax rate paid by the tourists and also lower the hotel charges. That way, she says many tourists will be wooed to come and visit the Gambia. “They prefer other countries to the Gambia because of the high tax,” Mrs. Jallow remarked.
Another vendor this reporter talked to was Ancha Taal who lamented similar problems they continue to face. She emphasized that a lot of tourists complained about the high tax and hotels bills. “If you over charge a visitor obviously he or she will look for another alternative. That can affect the business,” she added.
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