| Gambia, the new tourist haven for Nigeria |
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 Two Nigerian airlines-Virgin Nigeria and Arik Air have opened the Gambia to throngs of Nigerians longing to visit the tiny West African nation located at the edge of the AtlanticOcean. Virgin Nigeria Airways (VNA) landing at the Banjul International Airport in the capital city of Banjul marked the beginning of the Nigerian carrier’s air services to Gambia, known for its fast growing tourist industry and several adventure provoking resorts. By operating the route the airline will enhance easy movement from Lagos to Gambia, which has longed to attract Nigerians to invest in the country of about 1.5 million people, occupying 11,000 square meter territory. In a brief ceremony to mark the air service operation at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the managing director of Virgin Nigeria, Captain Dapo Olumide, said the airline chose to fly to the Gambia because of its rich tourist attraction, noting that Nigerians waste too much time and money travelling outside the continent to get rest and relaxation, which a country very close to Nigeria could afford much more than what they go far away to get at huge cost. Enthused about Virgin Nigeria’s operation to the Gambia the country’s ambassador to Nigeria, Angela Koli, thanked the management of Virgin Nigeria Airways for the confidence and trust it has which prompted the airline to decide to add Banjul to its routes in the West African sub-region. “It is important to know that Gambia was in the heart of Virgin Nigeria and today we are seeing the realization of the fiveyear plan and it is being realized this night. Gambia is a beautiful tourist destination, which is one of the leading destinations in West Africa, if not the whole of Africa. Gambia is a peaceful country that has really opened up to welcome people fromthe region. We have tourists coming from Europe, but we don’t have tourists coming from Africa.” She canvassed for the development of regional tourism, noting that tourism has been developed in the Gambia for a long time, but the country still has what is called the boom syndrome, which means that market for tourism is seasonal because the people already attracted to the industry come from Europe who leave their countries during the winter to the tropical Gambia from October to April and the rest of the months are marked by lull in business. Mrs. Koli noted, “Nigerians are travellers and they are not cheap travellers. This is because Nigerians know what is good and they love what is good and because of that they spend to have what is good. We believe that with Virgin Nigeria opening the window to the Gambia, opportunity is created for Nigerians to come to Gambia because people want to be sure of the carrier that will be taking them in and out of Gambia. Virgin Nigeria can do that for them.” Welcoming the airline to Gambia in another ceremony in Banjul, the permanent secretary, Ministry of Tourism, Mr. Kaliba Senghore, expressed happiness that Virgin Nigeria now flies to the Gambia and said that the biggest problem to air access to the Gambia from the most populated African country has been solved. He said that besides agriculture tourism is the major source of foreign exchange for the people of the Gambia, noting that it was not easy for the Virgin Nigeria to make such maiden flight in this period of cash crunch in the world, promising that his Ministry would do all it could to encourage the airline’s operation to Banjul. “We hoped that all those people who go to Dubai from Nigeria for relaxation will now come to Gambia. There is peace, stability and hospitality here. We hope that Virgin Nigeria will record increase in the number of passengers coming to Gambia so that there will be more arrivals here,” Mr. Senghore said. Also the Chief Executive Officer of Gambia Investment Promotion, Mr. Kebba Njie, said he cherished the arrival of Virgin Nigeria, noting that the operation would help trade and tourism to flourish between the two countries as easy movement has now been made inevitable. He said that Nigerian businesses are responding to the new investment regime that is taking place in the Gambia, noting that Nigerian companies especially the banks were already coming to openbusiness in the country. “Strong presence of Nigerian companies is not a mere coincidence; they come because they see the prospect inthe Gambia. The task of attracting Virgin Nigeria to the Gambia couldn’t have been possible without the support of Gambian government,” Njie said. |