Symposium on Tourism, Local Economic Development and Poverty Reduction

The Gambia has been an important laboratory for Responsible Tourism over the last 15 years. This symposium, or high level workshop, run by ICRT West Africa and The University of The Gambia, will bring together policy makers, development partners, practitioners and academics to share what has been learnt in the country, particularly with regards to using tourism to benefit local communities.

The symposium will place under the microscope:

1. Initiatives to benefit craft worker-sellers and self-employed guides
2. Agricultural supply chain linkages and the Gambia is Good (GiG) initiative
3. Cultural heritage activities and festivals
4. ASSET–a trade association for small scale enterprises in tourism
5. Interventions to reduce hassle and increase earnings in craft markets (Senegambia and Kotu) and villages (Jufureh)
6. Building multi-stakeholder partnerships: The Responsible Tourism Partnership

Adama Bah of ICRT West Africa invites you to come to The Gambia and participate in the symposium, which will take place the 18-22nd April 2012.

See the ArtyForum for more details.

World Responsible Tourism Day

Coming up in London on 9th November 2011 is World Responsible Tourism Day, where the real energy is at the World Travel Market.  Note that the responsible tourism program spans the 8th to the 10th of November, covering seminars on all-inclusive holidays and managing responsible tourism at world heritage sites, workshops on greening business, debates, hotseats, the presentation of the 2011 responsible tourism awards, and other sessions besides.

Launch

The coordinating team for the Xarxa de Turisme Responsable meet tomorrow, Thursday, in the Barri Gòtic.  One of the things we will be discussing is the launch of a website for the network.  This serves as a prototype for us to discuss, play with, modify, improve…  See you tomorrow!