March 2012

Tourism-Travel-Leisure News Undiluted

Vol.2 Issue 5, March 2012

ISSN : 2276-8319

$4.00, N500.00

Hotel Registration:

Lagos, Tourism Industry Disagree With

Agency

By Our Correspondent

I A Durbar scene in Northern Nigeria

UNWTO Must Do More to Assist Africa Tourism

By Lucky Onoriode George

T

here is no doubt that Africa has been at the heart of everything that is today’s new look United Nations World Tourism Organisation [UNWTO]. Starting from when the organisation was known as International Union for Official Travel Organisation [IUOTO] to when it was World Tourism Organisation [WTO], Africa and indeed Nigeria have

been at the forefront of its affairs.

It would be recalled that an African lawyer from Nigeria chaired the transformation committee of International Union for Official Travel Organisation [IUOTO] when it sought to change to World Tourism Organisation [WTO] in Acapulco, Mexico. Another African from Nigeria, late Ignatius Amaduwa Atigbi, proposed September 27th, the day of the transformation to be commemorated on an annual basis as World Tourism

Day [WTD].

However, in recent years, the new look United Nations World Tourism Organisations [UNWTO] has failed several African nations in the areas of capacity building, technical assistance and linking them to the right markets around the world.

Despite the obvious lack of programme and agenda for the continent, African countries are less than willing to look elsewhere for partnership due mainly to ignorance.

Time and time again, the UNWTO had organised programmes in Africa and for Africans without provision for poor African countries tourism administrators and journalists who are at the heart of tourism management and information dissemination. Quite at odds with the perception of other Unites Nations agencies, the UNWTO has shown that its interest lies strictly with the welfare of its staff and friends.

Continues on page 4

nspector General of Police [IG] Mr. Mohammad D. Abubakar has directed proprietors and operators of hospitality centres to register with the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation [NTDC] else they would be deemed to be operating illegally and liable to prosecution.

Handing down this warning at a joint news conference with the Director-General of the NTDC, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe in Abuja, the IG said all commissioners of police have been directed to enforce the order, stressing that the directive was in line with the act establishing the NTDC. In his words, “Let me state that the Nigeria Police Force is committed to the enforcement of all laws and will work with the NTDC to ensure the enforcement of this regulation at the federal, state and local government levels.”

The IG’s directive is coming on the heels of calls for NTDC to develop a reliable database of hotels operating in Nigeria through which the relevant security agencies could effect the necessary surveillance on hotels and other tourist destinations and rid them of criminals.

According to him, “the tourism industry is highly sensitive and cannot be developed or promoted in an environment Continues on page 4

March 2012 3

Publisher’s Note

CONTENTS

I

n this edition, we are re-stating our mission to provide topquality writing that will not only inform and educate, but inspire our readers to explore Africa for themselves.

African Travel Times will continue to provide content that goes beyond the usual articles carried in newspaper travel sections. We want to know more than how to get to a place or what to do there.

Now, we are establishing relationship with those people who call their destinations home, the treasured regional customs, or the places where locals hang out. We want to smell the aromas, taste the food, explore the streets and walk down hidden paths.

African Travel Times’ aims are to help our readers experience a destination, product or even issues better.

As we stated before, African Travel Times will publish a main destination piece that focuses on one particular place in the world. ‘The Insider’ is a destination piece, written from a local or native point of view [can also be written ‘as told to’]. ‘Fascinating People’ is an article profiling a person of interest in any part of Africa.

‘Niche Travel’ is anything from adventure travel to ecotourism. ‘Off-thebeaten Path’ is a special find that most travellers would never see. ‘It Really Happened’ is a first-person essay on a crazy, heart-warming or simply entertaining tale of life on the road.

African Travel Times will be very visual and photos are important. Submitting

Movenpick Is In Ghana With Real Swiss Hospitality Deal

PAGE 9 articles or ideas: Please submit articles to: info@travelafricanews.com. If your idea fits our style and editorial calendar, an assigning editor will contact you.

Feature word length should be between 700-1200. Pay is US$ THE GAMBIA: 50.00 upon publication. How- The Gambia: Smiling Coast ever, keep a few things in mind. of Africa Accuracy: Please ensure that all names [including any foreign PAGE 10 language words used] are correctly spelled. Phone numbers, addresses and websites should be double checked for accuracy, as our readers depend on this information when they travel.

Submitting finished articles: Please send the finished document as a word document attachment.

Preferably, send digital photos only.

The Land Where God Has His See you at ITB-Berlin, Ger- Footprints on a Stone many holding from March 7-11, 2012.

PAGE 18

TEAM

Publisher/Editor Lucky Onoriode George Winner, European Commission Lorenzo Natali Prize for Journalists Reporting Development, Human Rights and Democracy Researchers Richard Debrah, Ike Ikechukwu Contributing Editors Kola Raji, Bridget Obi, Chike Osuagwu, Sheikh Tejan Nyang, Hilerus Edet, Kirk Leigh Graphics: Godwin Clinton

African Travel Times Is A Publication Of Tourism Today Communications Contact:

Office Theodak Plaza, Opp National Hospital, Suite 307, Central Business Area, Abuja

E-mail: info@travelafricanews.com www.travelafricanews.com

P. O. Box 6250, Festac Town, Lagos.

Tel: +234-8033546608, 08057984769

4 March 2012

Continued from Page 1

Hotel Registration: Lagos, Tourism Industry... where security is not guaranteed. On the other hand however, tourism facilities such as hotels, guest houses, parks and recreational centres have of late become source of security concern as they are targets of attacks with the possibility of also being misused by unscrupulous elements and hostile interests for espionage, subversive terrorists and other unwholesome activities” The IG explained that the news conference was meant to address the issue of some states that are opposed to the registration exercise, declaring that the law would take its course on such recalcitrant states.

Also speaking, the DG of NTDC, Otunba Runsewe specially thanked the IG for the new wind blowing in the country, saying that Nigerians are now becoming confident in the Force. He noted that with the IG at the helm of the Force, a new chapter is been opened in the drive towards national security and tourism development.

Soliciting the support of well-meaning Nigerians in the quest to rid the society of crime, he advised hotels to always employ the services of trained security personnel as staff in their outfits and enjoined people to always furnish the police with relevant information.

The news conference was attended by about 40 top-ranking officers including 20 commissioners of police.

Responding to the threat, the Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism and Intergovernmental Relations, Disu Holloway in a full page advertisement titled Re: “Hotel and Hospitality Regulation and Registration, published in several newspapers over the past week,” noted that it is strongly opposed to the directive that hotels and hospitality establishments within its borders register with NTDC as there is no legal or constitutional basis for it. The advertorial went further to say that hotels and similar establishments are subject to state jurisdiction and can only be registered and regulated by state agencies acting under state legislation.

Meanwhile, sources at the Federation of Tourism Associations of Nigeria [FTAN], the umbrella body for tourism private sector who pleaded anonymity, told African Travel Times that they are no longer bothered by the many unnecessary activities of the leadership of the NTDC, averring that the DG was only looking to score cheap points in the media by doing things to impress the leadership of the ruling party which he belong s and those protecting him.

The source also claimed that he is no longer working for the progress of the tourism industry. Some posited that the NTDC has not been able to register hotels in some states because of disagreements and court cases pending between the federal government and Lagos State government.

They berated the NTDC for always going to the pages of newspapers whenever they have a message for the sector, noting that the move is anti-tourism.

M, Mr. Neville Paul of Fiesta Royale Hotel, Accra, Ghana, receiving Award for the Best 4 Star Hotel In West Africa recently Continued from Page 1

UNWTO Must Do More to Assist Africa Tourism For instance, in 2009, the International World Tourism Day Celebration was hosted by Ghana and days before the celebration, a list of foreign journalists and friends of the UNWTO officials were on tour of Ghana. Out of the well over 10 journalists invited on that trip, there was no single African journalist on the list.

The question is, if the UNWTO couldn’t invite African Journalists for its programme in Africa, where most of them do not need visas and other related difficulties, is it Europe, Asia or the Americas that they would be invited?

According to a Nigerian tourism consultant who pleaded anonymity, “The UNWTO has nothing to offer Africa and its tourism industry that needs trained personnel, honest and sincere partnerships.”

Again, there are several African countries that had made tremendous progress in their tourism industries; those countries can be brought together to share their experiences and technical know -how, hence the continent tourism potentials are diverse and not identical.

In fact, Africa’s tourism potentials are regionalised. The East is noted for Safari and beaches; Southern Africa is predominantly Safari for the big five; North Africa though classified under the Mediterranean in tourism is purely beach and little bit of history; West Africa is more of cultural and historical destinations.

Given this diverse attractions, the continent can work together and move its tourism industry ahead with coordinated vision rather than relying on the UNWTO that has no idea of the continent’s tourism needs.

The first UNWTO International Conference on Tourism and the Media last year in Zagreb, Republic of Croatia from September 12-13, 2011 was a good example where the UN agency demonstrated once more that it is only concerned with established destinations and rich countries.

It would be foolhardy for the UNWTO to insinuate that all African countries have a good grasp of what tourism entails. But this seems to be so from the applause the body gives to the continent after each visit when it is clear that there are legion gaps in her tourism.

In fact, some of the major factors militating against a productive tourism industry in some African countries are corruption, poor management, lack of clear understanding of what tourism is; poor funding and most importantly, not choosing the right marketing and promotional tools.

Most of the problems can be ameliorated, if the UNWTO African representative is up and doing, by providing regular refresher courses for tourism administrators of those countries that do not have the necessary manpower or institutions to develop their own personnel.

It is sad to note that some African countries attend events because someone has to. They do not know which is generating marketing for the type of tourism that exists in their countries. This void could have been filled if the UNWTO is really prepared to assist poor nations with tourism potentials.

Coming to Africa for photo sessions with African Heads State/Presidents or Prime Ministers would not put food on the tables of the impoverished local people, where unexploited attractions that

can generate income for them are located.

One of West Africa’s leading tourism trainer and director of Institute of Travel and Tourism of The Gambia, Sheikh Tejan Nyang, once said, “If the UNWTO must be a friend of Africa, it must have the interest of the impoverished millions that tourism could help lift from that status, by engaging in programmes and issues that would improve their lives”.

According to a Nigerian university lecturer, Wale Yusuf, “tourism is a key to unlocking several opportunities and until those holding the keys agree to unlock the several tourism potentials in our local communities and cities, it would remain a mere dance and entertainment exercise.”

Conversations across Africa in the last three years, suggest that tourism administrators deal with the UNWTO just to enable them get by. There is a strong affirmation that brandishing the UNWTO name back in their countries helps facilitate funding for whatever projects they propose to their governments.

Aside from the aforementioned, the UNWTO reputation and standing in Africa is nothing but a mere partner in pushing forward wastages in the ever porous systems in most African countries.

The UNWTO has encouraged these forms of tourism for several years in Africa and it is high time they stopped it. Merely attending UNWTO organised programmes does not bring success and tourists to our communities, but through knowledge gained in attending well articulated workshops, seminars and periodic training programmes that would enrich our tourism administrators, operators and media practitioners that are in the forefront of tourism development, marketing and promotion.

March 2012 5

Nigeria: NCAA Case Against BA, Virgin Atlantic Dismissed

A

fter sitting for about three weeks the judicial appeal panel set up by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority [NCAA] to investigate the N37.6 billion [$235 million] fine slammed on the two British airlines, British Airways (BA) and Virgin Atlantic Airways [VAA] unanimously came to a conclusion that the two airlines had not breached any Nigerian law.

In October last year the regulatory body led by the Director General, Dr Harold Demuren, ordered the British major carriers to pay the above sum as compensation for Nigerians passengers the airlines allegedly shortchanged with exorbitant and outrageous fares over the years.

But the two major airlines had denied any wrong doing and had insisted that they would not pay any penalties, prompting NCAA to set up a panel made up of five distinguished members to deliberate and consider the legality and fairness of NCAA’s investigation, report and findings “with respect to the investigation into BA and VAA’s collusion, deceptive, unfair and anti-competitive practices especially with respect to the Passenger Fuel Surcharge.”

The pane, which was chaired by retired Justice George Oguntade of the Supreme Court of Nigeria met yesterday in Lagos and held that the NCAA Act of 2006 could not take action on a matter that was alleged to have been committed in 2004 and in a 20 page judgment, the panel set aside the fine.

Other members of the panel include Dr. Folarin Gbadebo-Smith, Alhaji Bala Ibn NaAllah, former member of the House of Representatives who served on the Aviation Committee and KGB Oguakwa, a lawyer and former ranking member of the House of Representative who served as Chairman, House Committee on Aviation and also the House Committee on Tourism and Culture and Calistus Uwakwe, who served as secretary on the panel.

By Isdore Guvamombe

Z Richard Branson.Virgin Atlantic Uwakwe told reporters after the verdict was given yesterday that it was a unanimous decision of the panel.

He said that the panel could not uphold the allegations against the airlines as put by the NCAA because the violation occurred between August 2004 and March 2006, while the provision of the law at that time prescribed a penalty of cease and deceased order.

Country Commercial Manager for British Airways, Mr. Kola Olayinka said that the British mega carrier appreciated the decision of the panel for upholding the rule of law, remarking that it indicated that there is hope for Nigeria.

Also the representative of Virgin Atlantic Airways in Nigeria, Chief John Adebanjo, said, “We are happy with the decision.We will continue to work with the NCAA. We are happy with the Director General of NCAA appeal panel. We believe that right from day one, we have not

breached any Nigerian law.We respect the office of the Director General of NCAA. We want to thank the Minister of Aviation; Justice Oguntade led panel and our passengers who have sent to us letters of support” Demuren ensured that the panel was given the free hand to carry out its responsibility and expressed the hope that it would abide by whatever decisions it came up with.

Before the panel’s decision yesterday, Demuren had told THISDAY, “The panel will look at it and then take a decision. If I am wrong they will say that I am wrong, but once I get their report and they say the people are wrong I will tell them to come and pay immediately.”

The Director-General alleged that BA and VAA used deception to collect so much money from Nigerian passengers as fares, noting that the fares Nigerians pay are three times what the airlines charge in Ghana.

Gambia: UNWTO Head Highlights Benefits of Tourism

By Sheriff Janko

T

he secretary general of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation [UNWTO] has highlighted the importance of tourism in the overall development of any nation.

Taled Rifai was speaking Monday at a press conference convened at State House shortly after meeting the vice president and minister of Women’s Affairs Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy. He said The Gambia has tremendous potentials in tourism and that the reason he accepted the invitation to come to the country is because it has great potentials that are yet to be utilised.

He further stated that tourism is not only the second most important sector in The Gambia, but can be the first and the top income generating sector. He also mentioned some of the opportunities the sector can bring about like job creation as well as contributing to overall development. The visiting UNWTO official described tourism as a very horizontal sector that affects all aspects of the economy.

He said: “Therefore, there is no reason why tourism cannot be a prime and most successful story in The Gambia. The country is a safe, stable, relaxed environment, which is very important for a traveler. Tourists in this country walk about freely in the streets and you may not be able to realise this while living in the country but as visitors one can easily spot these features.

“The extreme natural settings like the River Gambia are all features that continue to attract many tourists to the Smiling Coast of Africa. The cultural aspect of the country is another fascinating factor. My impressions are positive.”

Rifai further noted that The Gambia is an active member of the UNWTO while the minister of Tourism and Culture, Jobe-Njie

Zimbabwe: U.S.$200 Million To Give Victoria Falls Facelift imbabwe has so far, raised over US$200 million to give the Victoria Falls a facelift ahead of the 2013 United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly and has availed several credit facilities for needy companies.

The acting director of Domestic Tourism in the Ministry of Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Mr Douglas Runyowa, told stakeholders in the resort town yesterday that the Government was taking the project seriously.

He said government was leaving no stone unturned to ensure that the mega international event that brings together delegates from more 176 countries was successfully held.

So far, the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe has been thrown a US$150 million lifeline to expand and refurbish the Victoria Falls International Airport with effect from next month.

The Victoria Falls Hospital has also been allocated US$6.9 million, roads rehabilitation and maintenance, US$3.7 million and upgrading of water supply system US$15 million.

Work in all these projects is expected to commence in March.

Mr Runyowa said 2013 UNWTO resource mobilisation committee had also approached Government to ensure that the tourism industry also bites into various credit facilities.

“We have made presentations to make sure the companies in Victoria Falls get access to the US$40 million Distressed and Marginalised Companies Fund set aside for companies in Matabeleland.

“So far, 44 tourism and hospitality companies have applied for funding. We have also opened a facility for the companies to access the US$70 million Zimbabwe Economic and Trade Revival Facility from the Africa Export and Import Bank.

“We have also opened a credit facility for the US$30 million from the South African International Development Bank that will come through the International Bank of Zimbabwe because in the past the companies in Victoria Falls have been failing to access the facility direct from South Africa. This shows our seriousness and commitment to the hosting the event,” he said.

Secretary for Tourism and Hospitality Industry, Dr Sylvester Maunganidze, said he was happy with the progress made ahead of tomorrow’s visit by the UNWTO inspectors. He said what was left was putting final touches on the destination since the hotels were already in good shape.

“I am more than happy with the general outlook and I think by the time we get to 2013, everything will be in order. What are left are very small things.

“The bigger things are in place. It is these small things that are giving us problems and we can easily sort them out.

“UNWTO is a diplomatic engagement which has its own protocols, etiquette and requirements,” said Dr Maunganidze.

Fatou Mass Jobe- Njie, Gambia Tourism & Culture Minister is a member of the executive council. He explained that his visit is part of a campaign dubbed ‘Leadership Awareness Campaign’, in which they present their open letters to heads of state and government, to raise awareness on tourism.

He continued: “But most importantly, it

is also an opportunity to discuss our future plans as well as the future of tourism in the country. The last forty-eighty hours I spent in the country together with my delegation we have been able to see firsthand, all the plans that are put in place as well as the opportunities that are still available to promote tourism

in The Gambia.”

While acknowledging that The Gambia has so far put in place the correct policies, Rifai however, stressed that more work needs to be done. He then called on all government agencies and ministries to join forces and work collectively, as tourism is a sensitive sector.

6 March 2012

Lawmakers Flay Foreign Airlines’ Treatment Of Nigerians

Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, House of Representatives Speaker, Nigeria Mr. Nkerewuen Onung, of Renord, Ikechi Uko, of 7 Wonders, Nigeria and Thamary Reppoh, African Sun’s West African Sales Manager at a Press Briefing

Kenya: Tourism Defied Difficult Period in 2011 to Post 32 Percent Growth By www.nation.co.ke

T

he tourism industry defied a difficult period characterised by fears of insecurity and travel advisories in 2011, to post a 32 per cent rise in revenues.

Tourism minister Najib Balala said the Sh98 billion performance, which was only Sh2 billion shy of its Sh100 billion target, was boosted by visitors from new markets.

“Our strategy to diversify source markets is paying off. Arrivals from emerging markets grew by an average of 40 per cent,” said Mr Balala. In 2010, the sector earned Sh73.7 billion.

Air and sea arrivals grew by 15.4 per cent to 1.26 million, while cross border arrivals were estimated at 520,246.

This now makes tourism Kenya’s second largest foreign exchange earner after tea, which brought in Sh107 billion in 2011.

However, the industry did not escape unscathed by security concerns. According to the ministry, fears of piracy on the Indian Ocean and the spectre of an AlShabaab threat suppressed growth, while activity at the Moi International Airport in Mombasa was subdued.

“There has been no growth at the Mombasa Airport. The travel advisories are not helping us,” he said.

Traditional source markets in Western Europe continued to dominate the indus-

try but their growth rates were sluggish in comparison to countries in Asia and Eastern Europe.

India toppled France to become Kenya’s fifth top source market after the UK, US, Italy and Germany. The number of tourists from France, Austria and the Netherlands fell by 3.6 per cent, 9.8 per cent and 10.5 per cent.

Tourist traffic from Hungary, Poland, the United Arab Emirates and the Czech Republic grew by over 40 per cent while Chinese tourists grew by 31.4 per cent.

The slow growth in tourist inflow from Western Europe has been attributed to the Eurozone debt crisis, which has eaten into the consumptive power of potential visitors.

Zimbabwe: Cabinet Approves CountryZambia Bid to Host UNWTO Assembly

By Wangui Maina

C

ABINET yesterday approved Zimbabwe’s joint bid with Zambia to host the 20th session of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly scheduled for August 26 next year.

Zimbabwe and Zambia won the right to co-host the event at the 19th session of the UNWTO General Assembly in South Korea last year. The 20th session will be held in Victoria Falls and Livingstone.

Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Walter Mzembi, yesterday said Cabinet had adopted all the recommendations of the Working Party of the inter-ministerial committee on the hosting of the UNWTO general assembly, which is chaired by Vice President Joice Mujuru.

Minister Mzembi said Treasury should now expeditiously release money in support of

issues pertaining to development of an implementation matrix and critical infrastructure.

He said the co-hosting of the event by Zimbabwe and Zambia was a shining example of brotherly co-operation and regional economic integration.

Zimbabwe will require huge financial resources for the construction of a convention centre, shopping mall, upgrading of Victoria Falls and Harare International airports, completion of Joshua Nkomo International Airport in Bulawayo and refurbishment and construction of hotels and villas.

Funding is also required for rehabilitation of roads, upgrading of the town’s fuel supply infrastructure, provision of adequate, clean and safe water supplies, health care facilities, development of a theme park, broadband and information communication technology facilities.

Further, Government will require resources for construction of museums, exhibition parks and halls.

This comes as Zimbabwe, which regards tourism as the fourth economic pillar, steps up efforts to establish legacy infrastructure that will compete for conventions business in Africa.

Currently, South Africa attracts about 58 percent of all conferences and conventions in Africa while Kenya is the dominant destination in Sub-Sahara Africa excluding South Africa.

Zimbabwe’s hosting of the congress is expected to put the country on the international spotlight considering it is the first time countries have co-hosted the UNWTO’s premier convention.

“This is endorsement of the country of the highest order. We claim to be the first sector to successfully bust (western imposed illegal) sanctions. Even our own detractors have supported the hosting of the convention in Zimbabwe. As a sector we want to showcase the true Zimbabwe, which is a beautiful and peaceful country,” said Minister Mzembi.

By Our Coresspondent

T

he House of Representatives on Wednesday criticised the operations of foreign airlines in Nigeria, particularly their high fares and alleged maltreatment of Nigerian passengers.

A motion sponsored by Mr. Emmanuel Ekon and 31 others also frowned on the practice of spraying insecticides on Nigerian passengers before take-off.

The House also observed that the crew members of all the foreign airlines were non-Nigerians, despite the huge business benefit they enjoyed in Nigeria.

The House passed a resolution asking the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria and other regulatory agencies to ensure a reduction in fares and to “compel international airline operators to improve on their services and adhere to the Nigerian Local Content Law.” The House noted that ticket for flying from Nigeria to Europe, America and other parts of the world “are the highest when compared with other countries where these airlines operate.”

The House also observed that from available records, “each airline carries a minimum of 300 passengers daily into and out of the country, making Nigeria one of the most lucrative routes in the world.”

Moving the motion, Ekon told the House that in spite of the business advantage of operating in Nigeria, Nigerians paid 23 per cent more on all classes of tickets than travellers in other parts of the world.

To buttress his position, Ekon said while a first class return ticket on the Lagos-Dubai route cost $4,695.5 on Emirates Airline, the airline charged $3,512 on the Dubai-Johannesburg route, which had the same mileage as Nigeria.

Similarly, he stated that Delta Airlines charged $5,874 on a Business Class for Lagos-Atlanta route, but charged $3,689.9 on the Atlanta-Bombay route.

He added, “First Class passengers on Air France pay $8,984 for Lagos-Paris route with 2,919 miles, while the same ticket for Paris-Bombay route with 4,349 miles costs $8,739.

“Even in Ghana, South Africa and other African countries where these airlines operate, the air fares are far lower than in Nigeria.”

The lawmaker expressed concern that aside not having Nigerian crew members on board, most of the airlines did not serve Nigerian dishes on board.“But, more disturbing is the insulting and dehumanising practice of spraying insecticides on Nigerians.

“This has health implications; this is one of the issues that our regulatory agencies must address,” he said.

8 March 2012

Junior Suite at Movenpick, Ambassador Hotel, Accra, Ghana

Movenpick Is In Ghana With Real Swiss Hospitality Deal Undoubtedly, Ghana is gradually becoming the holiday hub of English West African Countries, snapping away middle level conferences and seminars from South Africa. In recent times, major global hotel chains are making inroad into a country that is gradually becoming a home for many African Americans and the people of African origin from the Caribbean.

Recently, African Travel Times, Editor, Lucky Onoriode George was in Accra, Ghana where he spoke to Mr. Stuart Chase, General Manager of Movenpick Ambassador Hotel, one of the new entrants into that country’s hospitality establishment.

Excerpts:

Q

:Why did it take Movenpick so long to move into the West African market?

We are a management company and as such, we are also targeting various areas of the world as well as looking at our partners in terms of honesty.

We have presence in Northern Africa where I can say we are strongly represented. We have hotels in Egypt, Morocco as well as Ramallah, Palestine in the Middle East. In Sub Sahara Africa, we used to be involved in a hotel in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. Unfortunately, that hotel has now been sold and we are no longer involved.

Coming to West Africa, the opportunity to come

to this region arose sometimes ago, and the grand work was done around 2004/2005 and it has been an on-going project. Finally, here we are now and Movenpick Ambassador, Accra has been opened nearly nine months now.

Movenpick is basically a business hotel, what has it been like since you opened?

Absolutely, our business here is predominantly corporate driven. However, we have seen an increase in leisure market. Particularly from ECOWAS for weekends and a lot of Nigerians are beginning to come in for weekends. Without doubt, we are looking forward to upward number in the nearest future. Traditionally,

the market is based on corporate in coming and that originates from all the airlines and the leisure component increasing which is very encouraging.

Moving into a new location comes with challenges, what are those major challenges?

Challenges to us when we move into to new location is brand awareness; as for us, we are very strong in Europe, also strong in North Africa, in Dubai and also now in China, Thailand and we are also moving into India. However, brand awareness is an issue of which we have to create awareness of who we are, what we do. Sincerely, the other physical challenges are not as difficult as other emerging markets because the infrastructure here in Ghana is very developed.

We have also been well received by everybody and we have received fantastic cooperation from government ministries and competitor hotels. For us as a group, it’s been establishing our brand.

What are those government policies that made your coming quite suitable?

Like you know, we are just the operator, but not the owner. However, I can speak on behalf of the owners here that they received tremendous cooperation from the authority here. They are able to attract investment into Ghana, most especially in the hospitality sector and had been able to limit the amount of red tape that characterised businesses in some parts of the world. As I said, we are just the operator and before we came in, a lot of those grand works have been done by them. I am not being biased, what I told you would not be different if you are also privilege to speak with the owners.

This is not Movenpick style I know in Europe and around the world, what happened with the structure?

To those who are familiar with the old Ambassador hotel of two wings, nothing has changed except that they are much bigger than they used to be. Here in Ghana, a lot of people remember the old Ambassador Hotel is a similar design, which is very important to us to keep that heritage going. We deliberately did that not just to the structure, but to all the art works and indeed the name.

If you look at most of the new generation hotels in Bahrain, Dubai and others, in terms of interiors, facilities and services, we are most part of the new generation.

What stands Movenpick out as an international

hotel chain?

We are passionately Swiss brand. We are a Swiss company and what stands us out is what we build our heritage on; taste and food beverages. Very prevalent of where we have been and how we started. We actually started as restaurant chain. That is almost to the forefront of who we are.

Swiss is all about standard and taste, did Movenpick factor this into its room rates or not?

The management contract was reached way back 2004 and 2005, and between then and now, a lot has changed. As we all know, because stability in Ghana has attracted a lot of investment from abroad and we did factor that into our business model. Generally, I am convinced just like everyone else that we have been operating competitive rates since we opened.

What is this competitive rate?

The first three months that we opened, we started with $250.00 for a standard room inclusive of all taxes and free breakfast and we have since moved on to our a corporate rate of between $250.00 and $290.00, which was exactly what our competitors were charging before we arrived.

How much of a problem is staffing?

Staffing is always an issue, but it does not have to be in Africa. It is a problem everywhere. We had most of our staff between two to three months before we opened, which enabled us to carry out extensive training. Proper training and on the job training as well helped us tremendously. That having been said, there is a shortage of skills in the kitchen, beverages and office skills too.

This is what we are trying to work on here in Ghana as a group of hotels and the various ministries because with more and more coming in over the next three to four years, there will even be bigger shortage of skilled staff and this will definitely push up the demand for an hospitality school to train more workers. Three, six and nine months courses will be necessary to keep pace with demands in the sector.

With three to four major chains coming in, we will need between 3000 to 4000 new skilled job in the sector and the question is where would they come from?

What is Movenpick staff strength at the moment?

Presently, we are running with about 300 staff and we will be looking at about 330 by the middle of the year once we are fully operational.

March 2012 9

Staff at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel Accra in Ghana, wearing uniforms designed by Emile Rassam [Courtesy Movenpick]

What is the capacity of the hotel?

The capacity of the hotel is 260 rooms and we are nearly at capacity now. However, the commercial centre is still in progress, talking of business areas of shops, landscaping is still on-going and the lawn tennis courts are still being worked on too.

What is your community relations with the people like?

We were enthusiastically welcomed into the city.

Out of our 300 staff, 290 are Ghanaians, of which about 10 per cent of them came from local hotels and the rest never had hotel experience.

What we wanted was people with good altitude and we began to impact skill into them.

What forms of training are we talking about?

After the pre-opening training we had, we are still continuing through our departmental on the job training. As a company we have a division for training and development.

How much of public utilities do you provide yourself, in terms of water and electricity?

Some of those anticipated challenges like water were adequately provided by the owners. We have some of the largest water reservoirs capacity and underground diesel tank in Ghana that can last for at least a month.

We also have in place our back up capacity generators that fortunately have not been challenged in anyway because the public utilities have been up and doing.

How many hours of electricity supply do you enjoy a day?

Honestly, I don’t have the figures here. However, sometimes it takes up to three weeks or more for us to experience power outage and for as little as 30 minutes which is a massive improvement from when I first arrived here 12 years ago. Then, it was 50/50 in terms of electricity supply.

I am interested in your last statement that you were here 12 years ago, what were you doing here then?

I was running Labadi Beach Hotel. In fact, I ran it for two years.

You came now from Turkey, a more leisure

base destination, how would you compare the two countries?

Ironically, the hotel I opened in Turkey was not in the main tourism area, it is in a corporate area of the country with a lot of industries. Again, it is a similar hotel like Movenpick Ambassador Hotel that was taken over by new owner and renovated. It is a corporate area with occasional stopover place for cruise ships and for tourists during the summer.

What incentives are in place for locals to enjoy this facility?

To be honest with you, we already have quite a great deal of local patronage. The Diaspora has been a major part of our clients, just like people from ECOWAS. However, our food and beverages have been very popular with the locals. Our Sunday brunch has been exceptionally very popular and we are thankful for that.

Also very popular are our ball and meeting rooms for weeding and other engagements.

How important is the Nigerian market to you?

To be honest with you, i don’t think we have exploited the Nigerian market as we have really wanted to. Meanwhile, we have been to Nigeria on several sales trip and we are about appointing a Nigerian sales agent.

Apart from Nigeria, we are also looking at Togo and the Sierra Leone as well.

Is there any restriction on items from being imported?

No! There is no restriction on any item. Again, such will come at a price.

What advice do you have for the tourism authority to attract more traffic into Ghana?

To be honest with you, they are on the right path.

Apart from marketing abroad, the ministry is also embarking on the brand Ghana project with CNN. Again, the recent move by the authority to put in place a bed tax, proceed from which can be used for tourism

infrastructure and the tourism school I mentioned earlier is commendable. I have no doubt that this will be successful as it has proved in East and South Africa, because all operators here in Ghana are in agreement with that.

What is security like in Ghana?

If there is one thing that has contributed majorly to Ghana becoming a business hub, it is security.

Has room rates come down with the emergence of more hotels in Accra?

Honestly not. From what I have been told, the city alone needs additional 1,500 hotel rooms on daily basis.

Where they got the figures from, I don’t know. Presently, Accra is getting sizeable conferences. However, the big ones still go to South Africa where they have the capacity to host events of 2000 to 3000 people.

Certainly, Accra needs more hotel rooms because the demand is growing by the day.

10 March 2012

A Cultural Performance at Senegambia, Hotel, The Gambia

THE GAMBIA:

U

Smiling Coast of Africa

ntil 1965 when the Scandinavians lit the Gambia with first charter tourists while trying to escape from the hash cold winter of the North, little was known about the smallest independent country on the continent of Africa.

The Gambia fresh from colonial clutch having gained independence on February 18, 1965, after over 200 years of colonisation by the British, occupies an enviable serene environment depicting a genuine feeling of warmth and friendliness under total peace and tranquillity, typical only of the nation.

The country named after the Gambia River, which flows through the entire length from east to west into the Atlantic Ocean, has a narrow belt of land on either side of the river. Its closest neighbour, Republic of Senegal surrounds it on three sides, to west of the country by the Atlantic Ocean with its glorious beaches and wide river estuary at Banjul, the capital, once known as Bathurst.

History also has it that Gambia was part of the ancient African Kingdom of Mali.When

Population: Size: Time:

Ethnic Configuration:

Currency Official Langauge: Largest Ethnic Group: Seasons: Rain:

1,705,000 [2009 estimate] 11,295 sq.miles GMT Mandinkas, Fula, Wollof, Jola, Serahule, Serere, Creole/Manjago, Bambara, Aku Dalasi [GMD] English language Mandinkas April-October Dry: November to March Harmanttan: December–January

March 2012 11 that kingdom was in process of disintegration, local chieftains asserted their authority in their respective administrative units and proclaimed themselves kings. It was from that perspectives that a number of kingdom best known among them, Barra, Komos and fullasu, sprang up.

Later came the Mandingos traders, who spread across the Kingdom in the 14th century and were to remain the predominant influence in the region for several centuries, responsible for the introduction of Islam.

Today, tourism is a major industry in The Gambia. Over the years the number of tourists to country has increased steadily every year.

So far, Britain still maintains its leading position, generating good percentage of tourist arrivals into the smiling coast, followed closely by the Swedes as the second largest group.

Other Scandinavians and Germans make up the remainder of the tourists but in recent years the Swiss, Finnish, Spanish and a handful of tourists from the Americas have also joined.

The Gambia, better known to tourists as a package destination is fast becoming all year around tourism destination because of the availability of variety of tourism products, attractions and a unique culture of the peopleapart from the good reputation as a winter sunshine retreat.

For sometimes now there have been high demands for quality good value holidays and new holidays ideas in The Gambia that are prompting the country’s tourism board to embrace these aspects more than ever. As is evident from The Gambia visitor’s satisfaction survey reports, 25% of visitors to the smiling coast’’ are repeaters, a factor analysts attributed to holiday quality and level of friendliness of The Gambia people.

The Gambia many ethnic groups is never a problem, as a prevailing sense of justice exists in the country which translates into harmonious living or interaction among them. In the

Hippo in The Gambia

TRAVELLER’S TIPS

I

nternational Airport, Yundum on the outskirts of Banjul, The Gambia capital is 29km from the city. In front of the terminal is a taxi park where one can take a fairly cheap shared taxi into the city; otherwise one can hire a dropping taxi [unshared].

Photography

There is without doubt, an abundance of colour and interesting matter for the photographer.

Remember that The Gambia is a predominantly Muslims and unless one is equipped with a telephoto lens or take permission first.

Shopping

It is a major crime to export from The Gambia any article made from wide animal skins, Ivory, pelts or feathers of any protected creature within the boundaries of the country.

Reconfirming Airline Reservation

It is important for anyone preparing to leave The Gambia to reconfirm one international flight-reservations at least 72 hours in advance

Important For People Leaving The Gambia

For international departure from Yundum there is an airport tax to pay of U.S $20 or its equivalent in local currency.

Tourists taking Marital Vow in The Gambia

country, the Madinkas who are the largest ethnic group-never overloads the others such as Wollofs, Fulas, Jollofs, Jolas.

A predominant Moslem country, yet at Easter and Christmas times, everybody celebrates same like in the moslem festivals.

The Gambia can at the moments boast of over ten five-star hotels, a position that qualities its as a country with some of the best hotels in West Africa.

The Gambia situated on the beautiful West African Coast between the Equator and the Tropic of Cancer, is a narrow strip of land on the either side of River Gambia-from which this important destination derives its name.

The country’s miles of white sandy beaches, tropical gardens and natural reserves to exquisite and friendly service in modern hotels, interesting excursions and unique friendliness of The Gambians are second to none.

Attractions in The Gambia

cause of her rich bird life and thus becoming more and more popular as a paradise for bird watchers from all over the world, especially Europe. In the last few years, thousands of Ornithologists visited the ‘’smiling coast’’ to watch, admire and photograph over 500 different species of birds.

The Abuko Nature Reserve lies on the western side of the highway from Banjul, the country’s capital to Yundum Airport, an area of fairly dense wood-land covering 252 acres of land housing over 200 different species of birds that have found the place an ideal habitats among which are the largest and smallest king fishers in the world.

Kiang West National Park.

The Kiang West National Park, is another place for birds viewing. Its covers approximately 11,000 hectares is The Gambia’s largest park of international standard.

Wassu: Fascination circles of standing stories Abuko Reserve Abuko reserve is fast becoming the most around Wassu have been identified as burial popular single attraction in The Gambia, be- grounds more than 1200 years ago has new laterite dotting the landscape.

Currency

The Gambia currency is the Dalassi which comes in dominations of Butut, 1,5,10,25,50 and Dalasi in, 1,5,10,25,50

Traveller’s Cheques

All banks and forex bureaus accepts traveller’s cheques although the rate of exchange might be slight lower for cash transactions

Visa Requirements

A valid single or multiple entry visa is required to enter The Gambia, available from The Gambia missions and embassies abroad.

Passport

You should carry your passport at all times or at least a photocopy as police occasionally ask travellers for their papers.

Health

The Director of Tourism in the Gambia has confirmed that it is not compulsory for visitors to The Gambia to have a yellow fever vaccination certificate in order to travel to The Gambia.

The Director of Medical Services of The Government of The Gambia has also confirmed in his memorandum of the 17th March 1992 that ‘’Yellow Fever Vaccination will only be required from travellers arriving from infected or endemic countries.

Electricity

If you bring any electric appliances, they should operate on 220 volts. Electric outlets accept either three plugs or converters.

12 March 2012

Where to stay in The Gambia Sarges Hotel

S

arges Hotel [Tafbel] is one of the major established hotels in The Gambia. Strategically located in the heart of the Senegambia tourist area. It is less than 5 minutes walking distance from the sprawling sandy beaches and the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Built in 1994 as an excellent combination of fully furnished studios, standard rooms and suites, offer luxury and comfort to the desiring guests.

According to its management, the number of rooms have been deliberately kept small [98] to ensure that guests have the best of service at all times.

The hotel is supported by an excellent team of experienced staff,

Sarges Hotel

Bungalow Beach Hotel

W

e would like to welcome you to the Bungalow Beach Hotel at the Kotu Beach, its brochure reads.

The hotel provides the highest standard of personal service, comfort and cuisine to make guests stay a pleasant and a memorable one.

Whether on pleasure or business, the Bungalow Beach provides a wonderful environment for relaxation.

Guests are woken up in the morning by the sound of the waves of the Ocean and you live your dream under the coconut trees and relax in the shade with your favourite drink.

At the hotel, you also enjoy the followings: -Best winter sun location within 6 hours flying from Europe -Beautifull wide sandy beaches with palm trees -Your own apartment with Hotel Service -Separate living and separate bedroom plus bathroom -One hour time difference to Europe Bungalow Beach Hotel -English is the main language -Great staff with any kind of fered by local agencies -Excellent Beach Hotel, straight service -Mini market and internet cafe on the Beach in a quiet area -Many tours and excursions of-Great central swimming pool -24 hours security

-Frequent entertainment in the evening -Excellent restaurant at poolside

March 2012 13

Senegambia Hotel

A

s soon as you enter the hotel grounds, you feel like you have just stepped into an oasis of tropical plants and trees.African culture is celebrated both in the dĂŠcor of the lobby area and in the regular evening entertaiments with folklore nights and themed buffets.

The hotel garden is a paradise of palm trees, beautiful flowers and exotic plants. It features not only exotic flora but fauna too. During your daily stroll through the gardens, you are likely to see monitor lizards of all sizes, an array of monkeys, butterflies and the main attraction of course are the vultures which are fed by the hotel staff each morning. The hotel is a Mecca for bird-watchers and nature lovers who travel year after year to observe more than 100 species of birds on the grounds of the hotel with the help of our resident bird-watcher.

The hotel also attracts those clients that wish to get away from it all and who want to just relax by the pool or on the golden sandy beach with a cool drink in serene and beautiful surroundings.

Senegambia Hotel

The Kairaba Hotel

T

he Kairaba Hotel is a luxurious five-star hotel on the idyllic coast of The Gambia in West Africa.

Situated on the golden beach of Kololi, the Kairaba Hotel offers a unique atmosphere of relaxation and comfort in which to rest and unwind.

In the middle of 40 acres of lush tropical gardens and miles of sandy beaches, you can put the hectic pace of everyday life behind you and enjoy a place of peace and beauty.

The rooms offer an exceptionally high standard of comfort and overlook both the ocean and the beautiful natural landscaped gardens surrounding the crystal-clear pools.

The Kairaba Hotel

14 March 2012

The Gambia Will Always Remain

Mr. Lai Mboge is a well trained tourism professional currently making a return to the chairmanship position of Gam the travel and tourism industry in The Gambia. In this interview with Lucky Onoriode George, the chairman explains w of the various challenges and competition from emerging desti

Q

: What are the major challenges facing The Gambia tourism?

To start with, the challenges is to be able to maintain the European market share that we are in strong competition with –Grand Canaries, Cape Verde, Morocco, Tunisia among others because they currently have superior facilities.

Another task is to expand our market base. For now, we are doing well with the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria and the Scandinavian countries. However, we are also trying to make incursion into Spain with the help of the ministry’s effort, not relying on the European Tour Operators alone.

We are making this move because of the fact that our traditional Scandinavian marketing based is declining because the earlier travellers from this area are aging and they have not fully introduced The Gambia to the new generation of Scandinavians who are looking for elsewhere for holiday.

Those who started coming and made several repeat visit are now well over 80 and sometimes too frail to travel. Again, they failed to pass this tradition onto new generation of travellers from these areas; I am talking of young travellers from Finland, Norway, Sweden and Germany.

Through our expansion efforts, we will also be trying to expand our packages by putting more efforts into Eco-tourism potentials that much attention have not been given because some of them are located where accessibility and proper packaging are still a major challenge to us.

Strengths Our major strength remains largely on our proximity to Europe, friendliness, our hospitality heritage and through word of mouth by travellers as well as our impeccable political and economic stability that are key ingredients for a successful tourism sector.

We are proud of our 12-hours daily of sun shine and calm sea. In fact, The Gambia has the longest runway in Africa and can accommodate any type of aircrafts, including the A 380, jumbo plane, the largest passenger plane in the world. The run way was built by the United States America for strategic reason which The Gambia is benefiting from economically.

Weaknesses

Mr. Lai Mboge, Chairman, Gambia Hotel Association

Limited air lines are our major problem because most of the European Airlines and tours operators will preferred to serve The Gambia during the winter only-Instead, they prefer to go to the Mediterranean that are shorter and more profitable during summer.

However, we have some organisations that are trying to register a local airline which we hope when eventually operation will help push forward our all year round expectation. In fact, our investigation reveals that the tour operators are willing to come all year round, but the airlines prefer to fly places like, Turkey, Morocco or even Tunisia that are shorter.

If The Gambia has its own airline like Kenya, South Africa, Morocco, Egypt and Ethiopia, we would have been better off.

The Gambia River is one of our assets too, but it is being under-utilized because it is navigable for up to 300 kilometres up river by boat, where we have lots of hippo, monuments

and wildlife.

Because of the above, tourists cannot see our rich birds. Worldwide, there is a consideration numbers of bird’s enthusiasts/Ornithologists/ class of tourists that we could tap from.

For the record, The Gambia is home to the second largest number of Chimps in the world. Apart from the ones in the wild, The Gambia has a rehabilitation programme for rescued chimps that are eventually returned into the wild.

Now, I can categorically tell you that the country is not benefiting from this because their locations are not accessible due to bad roads and general lack of access. This same circle also house historical wonders, presently not part of what we package, so also the Mongo Park Monument at Karantaba.

Gambians inability to invest in the production of food and beverages to feed the tourists is also a weakness on our part. Investment in husbandry,

poultry and beef production that would enhance local participation is now an avenue in which the country looses foreign exchange because most of the items that the tourists consume when here are now majorly imported.

Finally under our weaknesses is the inability to establish a school of handicraft to train the young people in the souvenirs industry.

Gambianization Training locals, who could manage, run and occupy key positions in the travel and tourism industry. Presently, we only have more locals at the middle level management cadre and low levels positions.

We can only boost of very few Gambians in top management position and we hope to bolster this Marketing Marketing is the best tool that can be deployed in promoting any destination. -7 Ps, Product-Price, Promotion-Place-Process-physical

March 2012 15

n A Smiling Destination-Mboge

mbia Hotel Association [GHA], umbrella body for the owners and managers of accommodation facilities operating within why The Gambia popularly called the ‘Smiling Coast of Africa’ will remain a favour destination in years to come, in spite inations in Africa and around the Mediterranean circle. Excerpts: evidence-and People that we have to follow. Marketing cost money. However, if you invest, then you harvest, provided you do this in the right market and time.

With lack of fund, it’s difficult to use professional marketing company to further push up our efforts.

Again, it would have been better, if we use our embassies abroad-with well trained professional manning the tourism desks just as we are currently doing in the United Kingdom.

This has to spread to other parts of the world where we have embassies/ high commissions.

New market has to be targeted too. The Gambia has the potential to attract ethno-tourists/Diaspora from the Americas and the Caribbean because of the popularity that this country enjoyed from the ‘Root’ of ‘Kunta Kinteh’ fame, based on Alex Haley book.

Recently, a Chinese tour operator approached us and we are hoping we get a fraction of the China mega market-However, we are also hoping that more infrastructure are developed to accommodate the expected tourists in future, while also giving facelift to existing hotels, resorts and restaurants.

Training Presently, we are worried that the government is yet to include tourism in education curriculum. Therefore, we miss the real Gambianisation of the tourism industry. We must get peanut sellers, basket weavers and fishermen to engaged in every aspect of the tourism industry.

Home base participation Local participation in the tourism industry goes beyond the core tourism industry. We have opportunities in getting more Gambians into mason, train electricians and engineers among others to replace the present status quo dominated by foreigners from the sub-region.

The government is aware of this, as there are on-going tourism campaign programmes on radio and television to encourage locals to be involved in the sector.

Standard The region as a whole must take a cue from the Caribbean-that have created a single marketing body under one budget which gives them power to do so effectively. In the case of Economic Community of West African States [ECOWAS], I have seen protocol agreed and signed by

Tourist taking a ride in a Land Rover

the regional member nations, but could have been better, if we have a collective product that will be diverse and powerful to promote the region.

At the moment, each member states is doing their bit, which is really not helpful. If we are to come together to package our various product under one umbrella, we will be stronger, competitive and forceful within the global tourism world.

However, we should not ignore our individual’s strength, but we can only get better.

if they so fall in love for what I will call adult reasons.

Gambia Tourism Board[GTB] The Gambia Tourism Board [GTB] has its responsibility to implement all government policies concerning the tourism sector in the country. The tourism agency has monitoring power, supervision and classification too.

All the aforementioned is to ensure compliance in appearance, services, behavious and facilities that meet minimum standards as stipulated by government.

To attract high spending tourists, Sex industry we must continue to improve in The tourism industry has its good all aspect of the tourism industryand the bad side. Culture clash I structure, super structure, facilities, call it-when two cultures meet, they and training among others. exchange views/habits. However, the one that carries monetary power always overcome because of economic power.

Apart from the sun, sea and beach that The Gambia market, there is also hidden markets of which European women come looking for men and Gambian men also looking for relationship with white women. For instance in France, you will see lots of women of North African origin married to white European and same goes for European that married to black Africans.

You cannot cheat nature and The Gambia is not an exception when it Crafts for sale comes to matrimonial issues.

The Gambia as a country has Personal challenge benefitted and has seen tremendous Challenges will continue to cross development through remittance your path as much as one live and has from Gambian couples abroad-for come to be part and parcel of human different purposes, such as building progression. houses for their parents, girl friends/ As a teenager in the sixties and with boyfriends. only 10 dollar bill in my pocket, I left Succinctly put, the government The Gambia soon after college withdoes not encourage sex tourism. out a suitcase. I was only sixteen then, However, you cannot stop relation- but because I had a vision, strategy ship between visitors and the locals and a goal to venture to the outside

world in search of knowledge, profession and money.

I returned home after several years of attaining a well dignified profession. I attended the best hotel schools and institutions in Sweden and the prestigious Cornell University Hotel School in New York, one of the best in the world.

I also attended Harvard for a brush up in marketing, leadership and techniques, to Washington DC for a Diploma in Communication Skill and Management and to Coverdale Institution for the Design and Packaging of Tourism Products.

Presently, I am happy to have also gained experience being part of Corp Consular for Tunisia in the last

12-years.

Sub-regional message We must as ECOWAS work together to provide competitive products that would put the region in global tourism map. With a population of over 300 million people, we can achieve a lot by promoting our indigenous products to one another.

Such will help bring about knowledge of one another, economic and socialisation too.

16 March 2012

Gambians Are Growing In Hospitality Management Positions - Bunama Senegambia Hotels is the largest hotel in The Gambia with 328 rooms and the single biggest hospitality employer of labour of close to 235-240 people. What makes the hotel special is not just the aforementioned, but for the fact the facility is manage by a Gambian. In this interview with Lucky Onoriode George of African Travel Times in his hotel recently, the hotel’s General Manager, Mr. Bunama Njie, whose wife is The Gambian Minister of Tourism speaks on the rise of local boys and women in management positions in the industry almost totally dominated by expatriates in recent past. Excerpts:

Q

: What is special about Senegambia Hotel?

Here in The Gambia, Senegambia Hotel is special in many ways. It is the largest hotel in the country covering 11 acres of land, largest employer of labour in the hospitality business, with a total room number of 328 rooms and one of the leading hotels since 70s, and still remain so till date.

Other factors that make Senegambia Hotel special are, that the hotel is located in Kololi-area where most banks, shopping malls, bars, restaurants, entertainment spots and other facilities.

Running and maintaining an old property do pose a lot of daily challenges, how are you coping?

This is the biggest challenges that I am facing. The hotel is a 33 year old facility. By November 2005, new owners took over. However before then, the hotel that was a 4-star hotel dropped to a 3-star facility with its 328 rooms and can accommodate up to 600 people when filled up during our high season.

Since May 2006, the owners have continuously raised the level of maintenance and it is still an on-going exercise. Just for you to fully understand what I am talking about the maintenance department alone has 30 staff, some of them have been here since the beginning and we have continuously tapped from their knowledge of the various facilities within the hotel.

How did you emerge managing the biggest hotel in The Gambia?

When I returned home after my education in the United Kingdom, I started off as front office staff and rose through the rank to become a manager.

I later move on to own my hotel that I am still running.

I have been with this organisation for about 10 years now. To succinctly put it, to get to where I am today I have put in about 16 years in the sector with a combination of experience and education.

I am happy to say I have done well for myself-mixed experience-by

Mr. Bunama Njie, General Manager, Senegambia Hotel

achievement. Now I am at the stage experience. where I can impact on younger generation through Gambianisation.

Are there restrictions on sourcing of materials?

Why too many expats in the There are no restrictions on any hospitality business in The Gam- items and facilities that we used in our bia? operations here. In fact, close to 80 There is a shortage of human capital per cent of all ingredients that we use in our country. However today, more here are imported. However, there is Gambians are in studies both abroad deliberate higher taxes on those items and at home and I believe within the to encourage local productions. next 2-years, we would have more Gambian in more management posiWhat is the level of local participations across the travel and tourism sub tion? sector.

All vegetables are sourced locally.

When owners are considering who The farming is done through cooperawill make profit for them, they will tives and associations or even group. surely go for the expats who they con- For instance, we have what we call sidered to have the right training and “Gambia is Good�-They are the dis-

tributors of produces from local villages. They teach them how to produce high yields. Farmers are encouraged to grow items that are mostly used by people they supply produce such as vegetables, tomatoes and other perishable items.

Local production of certain items help reduce our cost eventually because, we do not have to buy with foreign exchange.

The government through deliberate policy place high tariff on foreign or imported beers.

Staffing is major problem in the sector, how does this affect your operations?

The Gambian human capacity in

March 2012 17

this sector is inadequate because more and more hotels, restaurants and related establishments are opening. So, we need qualified people to run and manage them.

You may have a good edifice, but you also need good staffing to make them function profitably. However, there is only one way of getting them; its either through good incentive and proper training. If you train and motivate your staff, the worker will stay.

To actually know if we are improving, we do sometimes bring in external assessors whom we give blank envelop to enable them give fair and balance assessment of our staff. That also includes me and we use the information obtained thereafter to beef up those low areas identified.

What is your family background like?

I am from a family of tourism people. My father was a chef, while my mother operates a restaurant and my younger sister is in school studying tourism. I was exposed early enough and my family commended me for actually following my father’s good foot step.

Birds at Senegambia Hotel

How do manage your accounting knowing fully that hospitality accounting is complex?

If you are used to the existing software, it helps. Even as someone without accounting background, the hotel/ organisation can arrange all aspect of revenue generation of the hotel without much problem.

We have in place daily audit report that gives details of all transactions.

Sometimes, we peg each guest spending to certain amount and we operate cashless system.

How much of a problem is purchasing and supply to your operation?

The profit from food and beverages is at the heart of revenue in any hotel.

It is very important that purchasing and supply are properly controlled and monitored. For us at Senegambia, we do bulk purchasing that help in reduc- Atlantic Pool at Senegambia Hotel ing sometimes eliminate fraud, though Gross Domestic Product [GDP], major not completely. employer of labour.

Electricity is regular, however, 18 What is the level of standards at per cent of our overhead goes into Senegambia? that alone.

Cultures are different and if we must promote, it must be done in a clean What is the way forward? way. We do promote Gambian; African We must market and promote The among others, the in-house rules must Gambian as an all year round tourism be complied with by staff at all times. destination. We also need the government to give incentives, waving taxes to What are government taxes like cushion the effect of low season. here?

Again on regional basis, ECOWAS There is a good working relationship must have a common platform, where between government institutions and we can sell our different packages the tourism private sector because they available in each member states. Africa play a key role. Through our umbrella needs to look inward to grow our tourbody, The Gambia Hotel Association ism industry.

[GHA], we are a force to be reckoned Relying on the tour operators alone with because the tourism sector con- will not grow the sector as they are only tributes 16 per cent to the National after profit.

Beach Huts

18 March 2012 Gradually the mist cleared and people started coming out of their houses, only to discover the astonishing sight of a left and right footprint on a stone in reverse position.

Five days after the footprints were discovered, a revelation was received by an unnamed villager that the voice and footprints were actually that of Christ Jesus and that was where and when the cliché ‘’Ngarabe town where God has His Footprints’’ emanated from.

The village Head further revealed that even when another disease broke out in the village, all they did was go to the playground where the stone is, with candle light and water and prayed to God to take away the disease. God answered their prayers.

Spiritual values and implications

Foot Prints

The Land Where God Has His Footprints on a Stone

A

frican Travel Times’ Ike Uchechukwu recently made a trip to Ngarabe, a town in Ekureke, Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. Apart from the fact that the place is characterized by perfect serenity, peace and decorum, the people’s belief that God [Jesus Christ] actually has His footprints on the stone, is firmly rooted.

Seen from the perspective that an ordinary human foot cannot possibly be embedded on a stone, the mystery remains, that no one saw or knew the said owner of the foot prints. Rather, ‘’they’’ only heard ‘’his’’ voice. Another puzzle yet unsolved is also the fact that the footprints are in reverse position as the photographs indicate.

Also, the aesthetics of the footprints is more that meets the eyes. The facts of how the footprints got there still remain a mystery.

In company of the youth leader, Mr Patrick Ijorji who was our guide and translator, and the Village Head HRH Eval Ekpe Bassey who claimed to have lived for more than a century and is the 11th village head of Ngarabe, African Travel Times was alive to unravel how the people discovered the footprint. This is an expose’ you just must read for yourself to come to the conclusion that wonders, indeed, never end.

From the alluring beauty of the Paradise City of Calabar, the journey to Ngarbe, an autonomous community located in Ekureku, Abi local government area of Cross River, is about three hours drive and 20 munities ride from the boisterous town of Ugep.

The remarkable difference that strikes a stranger visiting Ngarabe ‘’the land where God has His footprints’’ is an irony with the quietness, exotic aura and tranquillity that pervades the place even with the heap of stones naturally arranged in various shapes and sizes that surround the village.

Surrounded by neighbouring villages, Anong and Afbara and also sharing a boundary with Ebonyi State, the people have what the whole world needs to see and also know about.

Though I have not been to all parts of Nigeria, I think this feature is unique and peculiar to the Ngarabe people. Come to think of it, is it

Foot Prints

possible for a human footprint to bear imprint on a rock older than the history of the people themselves?

Their terrain, or should I say the topography of the place, is quite intriguing as various sizes of stones can be seen all over the place.

But the ‘’chief cornerstone’’ is at their meeting point which they call playground, located in the middle of the village though with other stones but differentiated by the unique footprints on it, noticeable at sight as you arrive the place.

According to the village Head, HRH Eval Ekpe Bassey, though not an expert in history and mythology, the Legbo speaking people migrated from a place called Akarefo to the present day Ngarabe.

Patrick Ijorji translated what the Eval said: ‘’this is not our original habitat. We migrated from Akarefo juner a Gate [clan] called Anarefoni. As that time, the present Ngarabe was a farming area where people used to cultivate crops. Then, we had continuous attacks from an elephant that was inhabiting the farm area’’.

According to the Chief, one fateful day they came for their usual farming and the elephant started attacking the people and in the process, trampled on and killed a woman whose name was given as Abey. That incident inhibited the

farming activities of the people in that area.

One beautiful day that history was made in the area; a powerful hunter named Ekpoto Egbonyi Ekpe shot and killed the elephant, after which he beckoned on the people to migrate from Akarefo to the present Ngarabe. That call led to an exodus that led the people to the present day Ngarabe and that aptly explains the Effigy of an elephant. The movement to Ngarabe was just the beginning of their ordeal because the people witnessed the outbreak of a disease that caused stomach ache which spread all over the village, killing people in large numbers.

Discovery of the mysterious footprints ‘’One day, there was a heavy storm that caused a thick fog which covered the entire community. The mysterious mist was so thick that it was impossible for one to see someone approaching.

Within the twinkle of an eye, people started falling asleep as the day turned into night as if an eclipse had occurred. They started hearing a voice saying; ‘’this is my land in which I am well pleased and I have come to set my people free from bondage’’ After a while, the voice ceased,’’ revealed Eval Ekpe Bassey.

In Ngarabe, no form of ritual or sacrifice is made on the stone, even though the people have other means of communicating with God. The only thing they believe in and also practice is to hold candle light and water because they see the place as an altar. Whenever they gather there to make their supplications to God, they receive speedy answers as long as the declaration is made in unity.

Chief Eval gave another instance during the Nigeria Civil War when they heard shelling and attacks in their neighbouring village. As it dawned on them that the war will soon get to Nyarabe, they quickly sent the town crier to make an announcement for people to gather at the playground with candle and water as usual.

They offered prayers and made declarations and believed that God had heard them. Until the war ended in 1970, it never got to Ngarabe.

Corroborating the origin of the stone and footprint, Chief Simon Itafu, a Clan Head and acclaimed most educated old man, said according to the stories passed on to him by his father, the footprints on the stones were not man-made. He said it was a complete mystery because no one saw when and who made the footprints.

However, each year they have a ceremony with sacrifices and rituals in remembrance of the great hunter, Ekpoto Egbonyi Ekpe who subdued the giant mammal. The house where he lived is still standing till date, though reconstructed, but they alleged that it was the exact place he lived. For this reason, they offer sacrifices every year to remember this hero and his giant stride that brought them to the present day Ngarabe.

The village head further affirmed that it couldn’t have been anyone else but God himself because there is always a connection whenever they come to the place to make their supplications known to God since that was where He stood when He visited Ngarabe town.

The people, who are predominantly farmers, also have some felt needs that require urgent attention. According to Mr Patrick Ijorji, youth leader of the community, ‘’we really commend the effort of the Imoke-led administration and the good things that they have been doing for us, but we need more especially access to soft loans and subsidy of fertilizer to help us improve the quality of our farm produce, pipe borne water, health facilities as well as youth and women empowerment.

Despite the fact that they migrated to their farm land as it were, they are still very much involved in business. Farming is still the major occupation of the Ngarabe people, with rice as their major farm produce.

You will agree, from sighting the photographs, that the footprint is worth seeing and Ngarabe definitely worth visiting because the tradition of hospitality that Cross River is noted for is also obtainable in Ngarabe town of Ekureku, Abi Local government Area.

African Travel Times was warmly received by the village head and his kinsmen with plenty of fresh palm wine and the usual delicacy.

Interestingly, Ngarabe has also played host to tourists and visitors from some European countries. They gave an account of a couple, Paul and Karen, from Canada who lived in Ngarabe for about four years before returning to their country.

Do not be a doubting Thomas, visit Ngarabe and see yet another wonder among the many that abound in Cross River.