The Birdwatchers’ Association (BWA) of The Gambia recently hosted a five-day capacity-building workshop aimed at strengthening the export capabilities of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in developing and transition economies.
Held at the National Cooperative Credit Union of The Gambia (NACCUG) complex in Bakau, the training was funded by the European Union through the EU Youth Empowerment Project – Tourism and Creative Industries, in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture. It was implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC).
The forum focused on enhancing birdwatching services as a niche tourism product in The Gambia. Sessions were designed to strengthen members’ capacity to deliver high-quality, safe, and sustainable birdwatching services that meet international standards and boost the country’s tourism competitiveness.
In recent years, birdwatching has become a key tourist attraction in The Gambia, contributing significantly to tourism diversification, conservation, and local livelihoods.
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Speaking at the closing event, Babagalleh Bah, Public Relations Officer of BWA, commended the sponsors and implementing partners for equipping members with requisite knowledge. He noted that the skills gained would help members improve their daily work.
Lumana Kamashi, a representative of the European Union in The Gambia, said birdwatching plays a significant role in the country’s tourism potential by diversifying offerings and extending the tourism season beyond traditional peaks. She challenged the Association to use the knowledge gained to collectively raise standards in the sector. She also reaffirmed EU support through the promotion of birdwatching products and participation in international platforms.
Isatou Drammeh, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism, encouraged participants to apply best practices from the training to elevate birdwatching services to higher levels.
Yusupha Keita, ITC Country Representative in The Gambia, said ITC is developing multiple product lines for the tourism sector. He noted that a key challenge is enhancing product offerings. The training, he explained, was designed to improve members’ competence in service delivery so The Gambia can become one of the region’s top birdwatching destinations.
He added that ITC is also working on heritage tourism to upgrade sites across the country and attract more visitors.
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