The Gambia recently signed a $68 million grant with World Bank to revive the country’s tourism sector.

This multi-million dollar grant is meant to support the diversification and climate resilience of tourism in the country. 

The sector, like industries across Africa, has been hard-hit by the pandemic and economic fallouts of the war in Ukraine, World Bank managing director of operations Axel Van Trotsenburg said at the signing ceremony in Banjul.

The grant is meant to promote sustainable tourism, develop different holiday experiences and help protect Gambia’s Atlantic coastline from the impacts of climate change.

The pandemic caused Gambia’s economic growth to contract by 0.2% in 2020, according to the World Bank. 

The economy has since started to recover, reaching 5.6% growth in 2021, largely driven by the return of beach resort-goers and remittances. 

The tourism accounts for roughly 20% of Gambia’s gross domestic product and is the largest foreign exchange earner, according to the government.