About 147 tourists from the U.K. arrived in Banjul on Wednesday at the start of the tourist season despite high coronavirus cases in Britain. 

The Gambia Experience flight from London Gatwick airport was the first tourist flight to the country in a very troubling year for the tourism sector.

The company said the weekly flight from London would continue for the rest of the winter tourist season.

Most of the British tourists onboard the flight are repeat visitors. UK-based Gambians, visiting families and loved ones, were also passengers in the flight.

One of the passengers Mariama told a local paper: “I feel very excited to be home and I am just glad to be back.”

Ousman Kebbeh of the Gambia Tourists Board said: “We are hopeful, but with the international travel regulations, I think working with the Ministry of Health is another plus. 

“We are glad to support our stakeholders and we are hopeful that this is the beginning of a new collaboration that they are looking forward to.”