{"id":94614,"date":"2026-02-21T18:11:18","date_gmt":"2026-02-21T18:11:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/uncategorized\/hamat-bah-hailed-as-a-pillar-of-africas-tourism-vision"},"modified":"2026-02-21T19:06:32","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T19:06:32","slug":"hamat-bah-hailed-as-a-pillar-of-africas-tourism-vision","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/hamat-bah-hailed-as-a-pillar-of-africas-tourism-vision","title":{"rendered":"Hamat Bah Hailed as a Pillar of Africa\u2019S Tourism Vision"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Gambia. <\/strong> <\/span>When a new book on Africa\u2019s tourism future is released on April 4, Senegal\u2019s Independence Day, one name is expected to resonate deeply with Gambian readers: Hamat Bah.<\/b><\/p>\n

The book, The Complexity and Complementarity of Tourism, by the Senegalese tourism expert Mouhamed Faouzou DE\u0301ME, offers a sweeping examination of the forces shaping the continent\u2019s travel industry. But it is also, in part, a tribute\u2014and Mr. Bah, The Gambia\u2019s former minister of tourism, stands prominently among the honorees.<\/p>\n

Mr. DE\u0301ME\u2019s central argument is that Africa\u2019s tourism ambitions will succeed only through collaboration rather than competition. Tourism, he writes, is not a stand-alone sector but an ecosystem, linking biodiversity, infrastructure, cultural heritage, and government policy. The concept he calls \u201ccomplementarity\u201d suggests that neighboring countries must align their strategies, market jointly, and share standards if they hope to unlock the continent\u2019s full potential.<\/p>\n

For Gambians, the recognition of Mr. Bah carries particular significance. During his tenure, he championed community-based tourism initiatives and worked to deepen cooperation along the Senegambia corridor, emphasizing the cultural and economic bonds between Banjul and Dakar. Mr. DE\u0301ME credits him with advancing a model in which local communities are not spectators to tourism development but direct beneficiaries.<\/p>\n

\u201cTheir boldness, Pan-African vision, and commitment to sustainable and inclusive tourism have set a standard for the industry,\u201d Mr. DE\u0301ME said of Mr. Bah and the book\u2019s two other honorees.<\/p>\n

They include Najib Balala of Kenya, widely credited with raising his country\u2019s global tourism profile through marketing campaigns and wildlife conservation efforts, and Alain St. Ange of Seychelles, who contributes the book\u2019s afterword and has long advocated for ecotourism and Pan-African partnerships.<\/p>\n

In that afterward, Mr. St. Ange reinforces one of the book\u2019s recurring themes: that nature is not merely scenery but a strategic asset. Protecting biodiversity, he argues, is essential not only for environmental sustainability but also for the long-term economic survival of nations that depend on beaches, wildlife, and cultural landscapes.<\/p>\n

Two launch events are planned to underscore the book\u2019s message of unity. The first will take place in Dakar on April 4, coinciding with national independence celebrations. A second event is scheduled for later in April in Banjul, where Mr. Bah will be honored in a ceremony highlighting the shared history and intertwined tourism fortunes of Senegal and The Gambia.<\/p>\n

Mr. DE\u0301ME, a senior Senegalese government official with more than 30 years of experience in tourism policy, has served as a technical adviser to several ministers and contributed to Senegal\u2019s development blueprint, the Plan for an Emerging Senegal. He currently leads the African Francophone Tourism Council and the National Observatory for Tourism Development in Senegal, advocating regional cooperation and data-driven strategy.<\/p>\n

International organizations, including the World Travel Tourism Network and the International Hospitality Institute, have recognized his work.<\/p>\n

For Gambians, however, the book\u2019s deeper message may lie closer to home. By placing Mr. Bah at the center of a continental narrative about sustainability and shared growth, Mr. DE\u0301ME underscores a larger point: that The Gambia\u2019s tourism story is inseparable from Africa\u2019s broader journey toward unity, resilience, and prosperity.<\/p>\n

Find more news and analyses on Gambia<\/span> on the Africa Press<\/span> website<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Gambia. When a new book on Africa\u2019s tourism future is released on April 4, Senegal\u2019s Independence Day, one name is expected to resonate deeply with Gambian readers: Hamat Bah. The book, The Complexity and Complementarity of Tourism, by the Senegalese tourism expert Mouhamed Faouzou DE\u0301ME, offers a sweeping examination of the forces shaping […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":94613,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,5],"tags":[260],"class_list":["post-94614","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-economy","tag-gambia"],"yoast_head":"\nHamat Bah Hailed as a Pillar of Africa\u2019S Tourism Vision - Gambia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"-article-header-tag"> Africa-Press - Gambia. 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