Adama Bah, the gentle guru

Issue 30

Self-effacing Gambian tourism development expert Adama Bah recently received an impressive accolade: the international Responsible Tourism Award for the individual who has made the most significant contribution in this field. Emma Gregg chatted to him after he received his award in London. When did your interest in tourism begin? I started work straight after graduating from High School in 1973, when the Gambian tourist industry was still very young. I worked for two seasons as a hotel waiter, then became a junior receptionist, a front office manager, a human resource manager and finally an assistant manager. In 2000, I took voluntary retirement from the hotel industry to concentrate on tourism development issues, which had been my main interest since 1995. What do you consider your greatest achievements to date? Since forming Gambia Tourism Concern back in 1994, I’ve been busy raising awareness of responsible and sustainable tourism issues through various media such as print, radio and in-flight video. I’ve helped set up associations to enable small businesses to assume their rightful position within the tourism industry in The Gambia. I also play an international role in advocating equitable, just and fair trade in tourism. What are you concentrating on at the moment? I’ve been instrumental in the creation of a new fair trade marketing company, Gambia is Good, which supplies fresh Gambian produce to local hotels, restaurants and supermarkets. This project is funded by DFID and Haygrove, a British soft fruit grower; it’s almost one year old and it’s already achieving great success. I’m also supporting Brighter Futures (www.brighterfutures.biz), a project which assists Gambian craftworkers in exporting their products. Meanwhile my own art gallery and restaurant, Kololi Village Art Gallery and Restaurant, is a showcase for Gambian art, food and culture (www.asset-gambia.com). May 2005 will see the inauguration of The Gambia’s Centre for Responsible Tourism, where students will learn about the key concepts of community projects, cultural and heritage tourism, conservation, sustainable tourism, and pro-poor tourism. The aim of the courses and conferences will be to promote local economic development through sustainable practices. Which do you prefer to be known as: a Gambian, or an African? I prefer to be known first as a Gambian and then as an African. Every African country, The Gambia included, has something which makes it unique. The Gambia is very small in size (11,000 sq km) and our 1.3 million people, who belong to many different ethnic groups and religions, live in perfect harmony. I also consider myself an African because not only do all Africans share the same continent, we also share the same historical realities – in particular, the oppression of liberty and development through subjugation – and we now share the road to emancipation. Of course this road has a lot of twists and turns, but I am optimistic that we will be successful one day. First we have to alleviate poverty by formulating the right strategies in all areas of development, tourism included. When you, an African, are abroad in Africa, what are your priorities as a responsible traveller? This is an interesting question. I was having a discussion with a friend from Holland recently and he raised a similar question. We decided the idea of going away on holiday in one’s free time is a western concept that has no direct equivalent for people from the south. I rarely consider myself a tourist when travelling in Africa or other parts of the world; rather, I’m on a mission to accomplish something. But whenever I can I choose a hotel that’s locally owned, eat local food and of course behave as responsibly as I can. Are the principles of responsible travel and tourism the same the world over? Or does Africa represent a special case? I believe the principles are the same the world over.The Gambia now has a number of very successful responsible tourism initiatives in operation. Could similar initiatives benefit other African countries? I am very positive there are a lot of things we can share. When, in 2002, an international forum on Fair Trade in Tourism was held in The Gambia, delegates from South Africa, Uganda, Nigeria, Tanzania, Kenya and Senegal attended. In October-November 2005 the new Centre for Responsible Tourism in The Gambia will host a responsible tourism conference. To subscribe or order this issue click here Most of the guidelines behind responsible tourism are based on straightforward common sense – and yet not all tourists, or tourism operations, are fully responsible. What, in your opinion, is the single most important reason for this? For most operators it is a question of short-term profit and for tourists it is either ignorance or naïvety. Some responsible travel and tourism measures come with a hefty price tag. Who do you think should pay: tourists, tour operators, or host country governments? Everyone should take responsibility for making tourism work, now and for posterity. Right now it is the tourism stakeholders in the destinations who make the biggest contribution. Through their governments, they invest in their local environment to make sure that tourists enjoy their holidays. In The Gambia, 90% of our development budget – required for roads, the airport, sewage systems, energy, etc – is borrowed from international financial institutions. Today, we are paying a heavy price – over 40% of our GDP goes towards the repayment of such loans – and social development is neglected as a consequence. How can tourists be sure that the money they spend on holiday benefits local people and contributes to conservation initiatives? It is up to tourists to put pressure on tour operators to be responsible. It is in everyone’s interest to fight poverty and conserve the environment because poverty and environmental degradation are enemies to development. Do you think it’s easier for independent travellers, as opposed to those booking packages, to be responsible tourists? Yes, because independent travellers have greater choice. Can anybody who goes on holiday by plane honestly call themselves a responsible tourist? We have to be realistic. At the moment, for many destinations, there are very few alternatives to air travel. The world needs to look at better solutions wherever possible; we should also contribute positively toenvironmental conservation in other ways. Do you think there’s a case for making certain areas of Africa permanently inacessible to tourists? The spirit of consultation and the right to say no to tourism is a fundamental principle of sustainable tourism. If the negative impact of tourism is likely to outweigh the benefits, and this cannot be rectified through positive dialogue and the rules of conservation, the best thing to do is to say NO. While most tourists would like to consider themselves responsible, some are not sure of the ground rules. For example, do you think it’s responsible to take photographs of local people when travelling in Africa? The best plan is always to take permission. And how should tourists in Africa respond to begging, for example, people asking for alms or children demanding presents? With adults asking for alms it is simple. You choose to give or not, as you would anywhere else. With children it is different: I would advise giving to institutions that protect children, such as schools and sponsorship organisations. Is it responsible or irresponsible to bargain hard for goods in markets or for services such as taxis in Africa? This is a dilemma for many tourists. My advice is, if you’re an experienced traveller, give what you think is the right price. If you’re not confident, ask a local. Hard bargaining can be insulting but overpaying can be irresponsible. What is the most useful thing a traveller can do to help alleviate poverty and contribute to constructive development in Africa? Be an open-minded traveller and support the local economy by buying local goods and services. To subscribe or order this issue click here

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