Brighton supports Gambian tourism move to another level
Published 15 August 2012
The University of Brighton is actively supporting tourism in the West African country of The Gambia.
Dr Marina Novelli, principal lecturer at the university’s School of Sport and Service Management has been working with The Gambia Ministry of Tourism and Culture to make it a world-class tourist destination, improve their offerings and take their service standards to another level.
Dr Novelli’s association with the Gambian tourist industry began in 2007. Over the years her work has been crucial in collaborating with local stakeholders to develop a set of initiatives aimed at local capacity building and policy development.
Over the past six years Dr Novelli has made a considerable contribution to The Gambia national tourism sector’s reforms. In 2011, Dr Novelli took a leading role in the restructuring of The Gambia Hotel School into The Gambia Hospitality and Tourism Institute – due to become a centre of excellence for Hospitality and tourism vocational education in West Africa.
Known as ‘The smiling coast of Africa’ the Gambia is looking to become more competitive and consecutively attract more tourists to the area by setting the type of service standards expected by today’s discerning traveller.
Dr Novelli was recently invited, by the Honourable Minister of Tourism and Culture Mrs Fatou Mass-Jobe, to facilitate a workshop involving 70 senior representatives from the tourism and hospitality sector. The workshop was conceived and designed by Dr Novelli – in collaboration with the Hon. Minister and the former Chair of the Hotel Association Mr Alieu Secka – to tackle service standards challenges, share best practice and identify a set of service standards guidelines.
Hon. Minister Fatou Mass-Jobe said: “Consistent quality service delivery is the critical link in our efforts. The Gambia is not only attractive, and trendy, but also provides rewarding Gambian experiences – whether at the resort level or in the country, where the various eco lodges and camps are located. The ultimate objective of the workshop was to enable The Gambia to develop further into a 21st Century world class tourist destination.”
The Honourable Minister commended Dr Novelli for her input in designing and facilitating such a successful event and invited her to formulate a set of guidelines, which are to become the National Service Standards Criteria.
Commenting on the workshop, Dr Novelli said: “This was one of the most challenging but rewarding professional engagements I have so far experienced in The Gambia.
“Since my first visit in 2007, The Gambia has changed dramatically and I feel honoured to have been invited to contribute with ideas, which have been translated into policy documents for what I see as a fascinating and forward-looking tourism destination.”
