As an amazing tourist destination located on the west coast of Africa, The Gambia is one of the continent’s smallest countries. Originally part of the Kingdom of Mali, The Gambia was a British colony formed along the River Gambia, an important 19th-century trading route, and is surrounded by Senegal, originally a French colony.
Both countries benefit from the traditional winter sun, sand and sea tourism, are under six hours’ travel time from Britain and France, and in the same time zones, so there is no jet lag. The colonial language is relatively widely spoken making it easier for tourists to interact with local communities. The Gambia has 10 ethnic groups, all with different cultural traditions and languages, and for its size is a remarkably diverse and tolerant society – it is a shame that we fail to appreciate this diversity, but more could be done to enable us as holidaymakers to engage with and understand this richness.
The Gambia is one of the 48 Least Developed Countries, ranking 160th out of 173 on the United Nations Human Development Index. More than half of the population lives on less than a dollar a day, with most of the population surviving on subsistence agriculture. The Gambia’s major cash crop is ground-nuts, but it is unable to compete with subsidised American peanut farmers. As is the case for many developing countries, tourism has the major advantage for The Gambia that developed countries cannot place tariff barriers against tourism exports. Every dalasi spent by a British tourist in The Gambia is a contribution to the country’s export earnings whether it is spent on the hotel bill or on crafts in the local market.
The Gambia was for many years a British colony and is one of the safest countries in Africa. Flights from Europe generally depart in the morning, so by mid-afternoon, you can find yourself under a shady coconut palm enjoying a drink in the warm tropical sunshine. And this, after just 6 hours flight time – with no jet lag!