InternationalJournalofResearchPublications
Tourism,CultureandtheEconomy:ImplicationsforEco-CulturalDevelopmentinTheGambia
ShaibEmmanuelOluwatobia,AnyanwuAngelaAmakab,*
a
DepartmentofEconomics,CollegeofEducationandSocialSciences,LegacyUniversity,theGambia
b
DepartmentofEducationalManagement,CollegeofEducationandSocialSciences,LegacyUniversity,theGambia Abstract TourismhasbecomeathrivingnationalbusinessintheGambiaandthecountryhashadafairshareofthe goodandillsoftourism.Theseexperiencesincludeanimprovementinthequalityofinfrastructureand revenuegenerationandtheaccompanyingworrisomedevelopmentofsextourismintheGambiaandbecause ofthelevelofpovertyandilliteracyinthecountry.Tourismisaplatformfortheprojectionandpreservationof cultureandagoodsourceofforeignexchange.Therefore,thispaperexamineshowculturecanbepackaged intotourismtoimprovethenation’seconomicandnationaldevelopmentinthecountry.Recommendations weremadeonwaystorebrandculturaltourismtoachieveeconomicdevelopmentandculturalpreservation. ©2019PublishedbyIJRP.ORG.Selectionand/orpeer-reviewunderresponsibilityof InternationalJournalofResearchPublications(IJRP.ORG) Keywords:Tourism;Culture;Economy;Impact;Eco-cultural 1.Introduction
International Journal of Research Publications
Volume-38, Issue-1,October 2019
Accepted and Published Manuscript
TOURISM, CULTURE AND THE ECONOMY: IMPLICATIONS FOR ECO-CULTURAL
DEVELOPMENT IN THE GAMBIA
Shaib Emmanuel Oluwatobi, Anyanwu Angela Amaka
PII : Shaib Emmanuel Oluwatobi.100381102019726 DOI: 100381102019726
Web: http://ijrp.org/paper-detail/727
To appear in: International Journal of Research Publication (IJRP.ORG)
Received date: 03 Oct 2019 Accepted date: 11 Oct 2019 Published date: 17 Oct 2019
Please cite this article as: Shaib Emmanuel Oluwatobi, Anyanwu Angela Amaka , TOURISM, CULTURE AND THE ECONOMY: IMPLICATIONS FOR ECO-CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE GAMBIA , International Journal of Research Publication (Volume: 38, Issue: 1), http://ijrp.org/paper-detail/727
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Abstract
Tourism hasbecomeathrivingnationalbusinessintheGambiaandthecountryhashadafairshareofthe goodandillsoftourism.Theseexperiencesincludeanimprovementinthequalityofinfrastructureand revenuegenerationandtheaccompanyingworrisomedevelopmentofsextourism intheGambiaandbecause ofthelevelofpovertyandilliteracyinthecountry.Tourism isaplatform fortheprojectionandpreservationof cultureandagoodsourceofforeignexchange.Therefore,thispaperexamineshowculturecanbepackaged intotourism toimprovethenation’seconomicandnationaldevelopmentinthecountry.Recommendations weremadeonwaystorebrandculturaltourismtoachieveeconomicdevelopmentandculturalpreservation.
©2019PublishedbyIJRP.ORG.Selectionand/orpeer-reviewunderresponsibilityof InternationalJournalofResearchPublications(IJRP.ORG)
Keywords:Tourism;Culture;Economy;Impact;Eco-cultural
Sincetheturnofthe21stcentury,humanbeingshavemadegiantstrideswhichimpactedevery sphereofthehumansociety–language,culture,trade,commerceandtheeconomyofnations.The entireworldhasbecomeaglobalvillageandmovementsofpeopleorcontactswithpeoplefrom othercountrieshavebecomeincreasinglyacceptable.Forcenturies,Africahashadherfairshareof influxfrom Europeans,Americansand peoplefrom theothercontinentsthroughslavetrade, missionaryexploits,colonialism,tourism,commerce,aidsandotherformsofsupport.Therehas beenanupsurgeinthenumberofpeoplethattraveltodifferentAfricannationsforthepurposeof tourism.Culturalplurality,severalculturalidentitiesandarichvaluesystem aresomeofqualitiesof AfricancountriesandtheGambiaisnoexemption.TheGambiahasanestimatedpopulationof2.1 millionpeoplein2017anditisthesmallestcountryinWestAfrica.TheGambiansocietyis communal,patriarchalandtypicallyAfrican.Inrecentyears,theinfluxofforeignerstothecountry hasbeeneitherforbusinessorpleasure(tourism).
Tourism isthetransitofpeopleforvariousreasonswhichincludehealth,leisure,sport, holiday,studyorreligion.Tourism isthetemporaryorshort-term transitofpeopletodestinations outsidetheplaceswheretheyresideandwork.Itisthemigrationofpeoplefordiversekindsof reasonswhichincludevisitation,relaxationorexcursions(Holloway&Taylor,2006).Theearliest accountoftourists’visittotheGambiawasinthemid-1960swhenaSwedestoppedoveronthe waytoSenegal.However,theGambia'stourism industryreceivedaboostin1965afteragroupof about300touristsfrom Swedenarrivedtheshoresofthecountry.Overtheyears,thenumberof touriststothecountryhasbeenontheincreaseandtourism hasevolvedintothefastestgrowing sectoroftheGambianeconomy,biggestforeignexchangeearnerandisamajorsourceof employment.Tourism accounts forabout16% ofthe country’s Gross Domestic Product (http://www.giepa.gm/Tourism).Gambiahasincreasinglybecomeanidealplacefornorthern Europeansandotherforeigntouriststoescapethewintergloom foraholidayinanexotic'paradise' beach resort fromOctobertoApril.
Gambianeconomyisverysignificantbecauseitcreatesemploymentopportunitiesforthecitizens andnon-citizenresidinginthecountry,mostespeciallyforthebusinessownerswhichincludethe hoteliers,restaurants,tourguide,commercialcabdriversandsoon.AfricaandindeedtheGambiais notleftoutofthenumerousimpactsoftourism whichincluderevenuegeneration,investment opportunities,socio-economic development,cross-culturalexploration,inter-racialmarriages, culturalexchange,culturalerosionandsoon.Apartfrom thenumerousbenefitsoftourism ona growingeconomylikethatofadevelopingnationliketheGambia,tourism hasdireconsequences forthesocio-economicandsocio-culturaldevelopmentofnations.
Cultureispreservedandtransferredfrom onegenerationtoanotherwithinthesphereofhis culturalancestrytoevolveintoacivilization.Anthropologistsdefinecultureasthepatternsof attitudeandthinkingthathumanbeingslivinginasocialgrouplearn,createandshare.Therefore, whenpeopletraveltootherclimesandnations,theygowiththeirculture,traitsandcharacters. Peoplecomeinto contactwithculturethroughsocialization,interaction,transaction(tradeor economy),andtourism amongothers.Cultureisdynamicanditiscapableofevolvingasaresultof contactsituations–aproductofmigration,pilgrimage,tourism.Asaresultofmovingfrom one placetoanother,anindividualacquires,learnsorimbibesotherpeople’sculturalethics.Tourism involvesthemigrationofpeoplefrom onegeographicallocationtoanother.HunzikerandKrapf (1942)describedtourism asthetotalityofrelationsandoccurrencesfrom thepeoplewhoar enon-residentsofaregionmovingfrom onedestinationtoanother.
Also,cultureisthesumtotalofthehumanlifeasitdefinesworldviews,traitsandcharacters. Itinterpretstheexistenceandadaptationofhumanbeingsintheirimmediateenvironment.Fafunwa, (1974)opinedthatculturalbeliefsareoftenimbibedfrom childhoodasthechildgrowsintoand withintheculturalheritageofhispeopleandingurgitatesit.Thechildpaysattentiontoit,internalizes andmimicstheactionsofhiseldersandthesociety.Thisshowsthattherecanbenopeoplewithout cultureandhumansocietiesthriveonculturalnormsandbeliefs.Similarly,individualshavetheir respectivesharedbeliefsandvalues,customsandtraditions,dressing,food,language,religion,and soon.
contactwithideasalientotheirculturalelementsandbeliefsthroughslavetrade,colonialism, globalisationandtourism.Whenpeopleofdifferentculturalorientationscometogether,therealityof thecontactsituationoftenaffectsthe‘weaker’orlesssophisticatedadverselywiththemore advancedlanguagesandculturesimposingthemselvesonthesmallercultures.
Inthelightofthis,theindigenousGambianexperiencehasencounteredseriesofchanges throughexposuretocolonialism,tourism andglobalisationwhichareimportsofEur opeanandnon-AfricanmovementsintotheGambia.Since1963,tourism hasemergedasamajorcontributorto economic,societalchange,andculturalevolutionintheGambia.Robinson,LückandSmith(2013) averredthattourism servesasasourceofrevenueandprovidesaplatform forprojectingthe differentculturalbackgroundsofcommunitiesaroundtheworld.Thisstudyexaminestheimpactof tourismonthecultureandeconomyoftheGambianpeople.
1.1StatementoftheProblem
Theconcernofeverynationistopreservethecultureofitspeopleandpursueeconomic development.These two objectives are often pursued simultaneously to achieve national development.However,oneofthemainstaysoftherevenuegenerationdriveoftheGambian economyistourism whichthreatenstheindigenouscultureofthepeople.Studieshaveconfirmed thatsomeoftheactivitiesoftouristscanimpactnegativelyonthecultureoflocals.Thestudy examinedthedevelopmentoftourism intheGambiawithaview todiscussingtherelationship betweencultureandtourism vis-à-vistheimpactoftourism onculture.Thestudywillalsoexamine someofthechallengesofpreservingtheGambiancultureinthefaceofaboomingtourism industry. 1.2TheoreticalFramework
Urie,Bronfenbrennerand Morris (1998)’s ecologicaltheoryexamines the impactand contributionoftheenvironmentonanindividualandviceversa.Bronfenbrennerhighlightedfive environmentalsystemswhichincludeanindividual,micro-system,meso-system,exo-system and macro-system.Allthesesystemsareinterrelated.Thetheorystatesthatpeopleareinfluencedby theirenvironmentdespitetheirhistoricalbackgroundandculturalheritage.Theimplicationofthisis thatthepeopleresidinginaparticularcountrycanbeinfluencedbythetouriststhathavecometo tourintheircountrybecausetherewillbereasonsforinteractionswhichwillfosterarelationship andprovideaplatform totransferdifferentsocio-culturalnormsandvaluesandwillalsomakethem tobedependentononeanother.
1.3CultureandTourismintheGambia
Cultureandtourism haveacomplimentaryrelationshipwiththelatterprojectingtheformer ortheotherwayround.Richculturalheritagestrengthenstheattractivenessofatourism brandin differentlocality.Cultureisgraduallybecomingafundamentalofthetourism packageasitoften providesafreshexperience,knowledgeorchallengetothetourists.Duetothecomplexityand natureofculture,variousscholarshaveattemptedtodefinecultureasaconcept. Rosaldo(1984) andHinkel(1999)admittedthatitisnotacaricaturetosaythattherearealmostasmanydefinitions ofcultureastherearefieldsofinquiryintohumansocieties,groups,systems,etiquettesand activitiesbecauseculturedealswiththetotalityofhumanlives.Inthatperspective,Hall(1998) considerscultureasan obfuscated concept,elusiveofanydefinitivedefinition.Hinkel(1999) ascertainthatitisdealswiththeevolvementofhow individualsthink,how theyfeel,whatthey believeinandhow theirattitudeistranslatedbytheirpeersinthesociety.Lyons(1990)defines cultureasasociallydevelopedknowledgewhichoriginatesfromsocialappraisal.
AccordingtoSeelye(1997),cultureallowsthehumanmindtoprogrammebehaviourswhich canbeadventurous,erraticandvoidtowardsotherpeoplearoundthem.Seelye’sassertiongivesa precise view and understanding to the waypeople relate in theirenvironment.Ourcultural convictionsoftendetermineourrelationships,beliefsandactions.Languageplaysveryimportant roleinthepreservation,promotionandtransferofculture.Brown(2000)acknowledgesthatthe relationshipbetweenlanguageandcultureareentwinedandshouldbetakenintocognizancewhen expressingculturalrealityintheenvironment.Also,Corder(1993)purposesthatlanguagecreates thelinkbetweenhumanbeingandthecultureinhisDiasporabecausecultureemphasizesonthe behaviour,valuesandtrendsasitreflectsthecultureandservessocietalneeds.
peopleoftenintendedasashortvisittoacountryorlocationforthepurposeofleisure,cultural integration,andsocio-economicalexchangebutwithoutapaidincomeorjob.Itisimportanttonote thatpeoplewhotravelforprofessionalreasonsorbusinessmaynochoicethantofulfilthepurpose oftravellingforabriefperiodoftime(Swarbrooke&Horner,2001).Ontheotherhand,somepeople travelforpersonalreasonssuchasforhealthreasons,leisure,aholidaytripawayfrom workoran employment.Peopletravelfrom onecountrytoanothertorelaxandhavefunandasaresult,tourists arealwaysmindfuloftheirspendingsotheyusuallytraveltocountriesthatthepriceisreasonable andaffordable(Xiang,2013).AccordingtoRusso(2002),somepeopledon’tmindtobooktheir holidaytripinadvancewhilesomewillevengoasfarasdelayingtheirtraveldateswiththehopeofa reductionintheirtravellingexpenses.
From theforegoing,itcanbenotedthattravellingfrom onecountrytoanotheriselasticfor individualsthatarefrugalintheirspendingandpricesensitiveandwillbeinelasticforbusiness ownersthattravelforbusinesspurposebecausetheywillspendmoreonaccommodation,feeding andtransportservices(Gillen,Morrison&Stewart,2003;Brons,Pels,Nijkamp&Rietveld,2002; Arnott,DePalma&Lindsey,1993).Tourism isanyform oftravellingembarkeduponforthepurpose ofleisureorrecreation,business,andadventurewhichisusuallyorganizedingroups.Tourism has becomeaglobalindustrythatcontributessignificantlytothenationalincomeofmanycountriesand itinvolvesthemovementofpeopletodifferentgeographicallocationsforfun,recreationand amusement.Tourism stimulatessocialdealingsbetweenpeople(touristsandnatives)whowould nothavemetordinarily.Inthecourseofthesecontacts,interactionsandsocialrelations,thereare casesofculturalclasheswhichareproductsofthedifferencesthatexistincultures,values, lifestyles,andlanguagesofthetouristsandthehostcommunities.IntheGambia,tourism has becomeabusinessthatgeneratesrevenuetothegovernmentofacountryandalsoservesasa sourceoflivingfortheresidentsandnon-residentsofacountry.
arerapidlybeingusedtopromotetourists’destinations.Asaresult,itleadstoanintensifyinguseof cultureandcreativitytomarketdestinationswhichappendstothepressureofdifferentiating regionalidentitiesandimages,andagrowingdiversityofculturalcomponentsarebeingusedto brandandmarketregionallocalities.
1.4RelationshipbetweenCultureandTourism:ImpactsontheEconomy
Tourism isapeople-drivenindustrybecauseithastodowiththemovementofpeoplefrom onegeographicallocationtotheotheronatemporarybasisforthepurposeofpleasure,recreation, andknowledge. Apartfrom thefinancialandeducationaldimensionsoftourism thatarenotableto mostpeople,tourism hasasocialandculturaldimensionbecausetouristshavetorelatewith membersoftheirhostcommunities.Cultureandtourism areoftenregardedasseparateentities. However,sincethegrowthofthetourism industryinthe21stcentury,culturehasbecomean
integralaspectoftourism.Culturalsites,objects,heritagesandcontentsareincreasinglypackaged intotourism toattractprospectivetouristsfrom allovertheworld.SustainableTourism Alliance (2015)averredthattourism facilitatestheestablishmentofsocialrelationsbetweenpeoplewho wouldotherwisenothavemet.Therefore,whensuchcontactsareestablished,clashesinculture cantakeplaceasaresultofdifferencesincultures,ethnicandreligiousgroups,valuesand lifestyles,languages,andlevelsofprosperity.
Conflictincultureisarealphenomenonintourism becausepeoplearethecoreofthe tourism industry.Fyanka&Nwoko(2015)positedthatculturerepresentsthetotalityofapeople’s wayoflifeandadvisedthattourism shouldbeusedasameanstoanendinthepreservationof cultureinanincreasinglyglobalisedworld.Wahab&Pigram (1997)notedthattourism andculture aretwosimilarandcomplementarytopics.Theconnectionbetweentourism andcultureissuch thattheyhavemutualbenefits.Thisisbecausetourism isneededtoshowcaseandpreservethe cultureofapeopleandarichandvibrantculturewilldriveanefficientandcosteffectivetourism industry.Inotherwords,tourism providesaplatform tomarketthecultureofapeopletotheworld andcultureontheotherhand,givesanaddedvaluetothetourist’sexperience(Wahab&Pigram, 2007).Therefore,theculturalelementsofmostoftheindigenousAfricansocietiesarepackaged anddeliveredthroughtourism.
economyintheyearunderreview.Tourism hasbecomeaglobalindustryandmoney-spinning ventureforsomecountriestherebyprovidingvariousopportunitiestothecitizensandforeigners livinginsuchcountries.ThefindingsofastudyconductedinSpainin2016revealedthatabout29 milliontourists’generatedrevenueworthapproximately€22,000millionandabout40%oftourists travelledforculturalpurposesandparticipatedindifferentculturalactivities intheinternationalflow whichisamassiveboostintheeconomyofthecountry(UNTWO,2016;AEC,2016).
Duetothehealthyrelationshipbetweentourism andculture,therehasbeenhighpatronage ofculturalitemsorsouvenirsbytourists.Also,tourism hasboostedtheimageofculturalheroesor iconsandmadeitemsofcultureveryappealingtothetouristswhooftensharecommonlocal objectsorcontentsofculturalvaluessuchasrites,festivalsortraditions,drinks,food,clothing, language(mostlygreetings)withtheindigenes.Thishasbuiltacordialrelationshipbetweentourists andtheirhostcommunitiesindifferentpartsoftheworld.Cultureisverymarketableinthetourism businessandmostcountriesthataretourists’destinationoftengotoanylengthtopreserveand repackagetheirculturalthemessoastoincreasetheinterestofvisitorsforculturalattractions whichordinarilywouldhavebecomerelicsoforalliterature.
Theneedtowidenthesizeandscopeofculturaltourism haspromptedgovernmentandthe privatesectorstocollaboratesoastodevelopandimprovetheinfrastructuralfacilitieslikegood roadortransportationnetwork,efficientwaterandpowersupply,accesstomuseumsandcultural heritagecentres,constructionofstandardhotelsandapartments,availabilityofeffectivesecurity network,worldclasshealthcarecentres,recreationalfacilitiesintourcentresandfairpricestothe costofgoodsandservicesinthecountrythatwillmeetuptothebasicexpectationsofthevisiting tourists.Anincreaseinthenumberoftouristswillbringaboutanimprovementinthestandardof basicamenitiesandtechnologicaladvancementinthecountrysoastomakethestayoftouristsin thecountryeasier,betterandmemorable.Allthesewillhaveapositiveeffectontheeconomyofthe localsandthenationingeneral.
1.5ImpactofTourismonCultureintheGambia
competitivenesswhichvariesfrom onecountrytoanother.Theinteractionbetweenthetouristsand thelocalsfacilitatestheprocessoftourism Reisinger(1994).AccordingtoRichard(2007),cultureis themajorassetandamotivationalaspectfortheexistenceoftourism becauseitattractstourists fromallovertheworld.
Thereareseveralbenefitsthattourism providesforthepreservation,projectionandtransfer ofculture.Forexample,theneedtowidenthetourism markethasmadeseveralgovernmentsin Africantorebrandtheircultureandseekcollaborationwithmultinationalcompaniesintheprivate sectorstohelpdevelopthetouristattractionswhichincludenaturalresourceslike:hills,plateau, beachesandsoonwhichservesasanasset.Suchrebrandingalsohelpsinthepreservationof culturalheritage,provisionofjobopportunitiesandaboostoftheeconomicdevelopmentinthe country.Lantfant(1995)believedtourism hasseveralpositiveimpactsoncultureasalastresortas aresultofdeveloping,preservingandlinkingittotheinternationalcommunitybecausetourism contributesignificantlytotheeconomic,cultural,socialandecologicaldevelopmentofthecountry. Tourism providesopportunityforacountrytolearnandshareitsculturalvalues,preserveand conserveitsculturaldignity,resuscitateandredeem theculturalnormsandtradition(Smith,2009).It alsohelpthelocalstodeveloptheirinfrastructuralfacilitieslikeprovidinggoodroadnetwork, buildingmorehealthcentres,improvingthecountry’selectricityandsoon.
Mostimportantly,touristscanmaketheirstayinanewenvironmentmemorablebyexploring andexploitingotherpeopleculturalnormswhichinclude:food,dress,religion,languagewhichvaries from allovertheworld.Duetolackofculturalfamiliarity,Toplesssunbathingonbeaches,skimpy clothing,excessivesmokingandhighconsumptionofalcoholwillhaveanegativeimpactandwill maketouristsbeatthehighriskofviolatingtheculturalvaluesofanecologicalenvironment.Also, therearecampaignsandsensitisationforthelocalcommunitiestomaketheexperienceoftourists amemorableonebecausedirectlyorindirectly,thestayofthetouristswilleitherhaveapositiveor negativeimpactonthecultureofthelocality.Theremustbeacordialrelationshipbetweenthe governmentandtheprivateorganizationsoastoworkinpartnershiponcommoninterestbetween cultureandtourismforthemutualbenefitofboththeGambianlocalsandvisitingtourists.
from childrenandunderagepersonshavegraduallymovedtoneighbouringcommunitiesofthe Tourism DevelopmentArea.Mostofthepeople(parentsandchildren)inthesecommunitiesare vulnerableand easyvictimsbecauseofpoverty.Thechildren often beg foralmsorprovide short/menialservicestotheforeigntouristswhothrongthebars,restaurantsandnightclubs.Such contactsencouragealevelofinteractionbetweenforeignersandchildren.Thesetouristscomewith diverseculturalandsexualorientationsandtheycutacrossdifferentsocialclasses.
Similarly,manyofthenativesofferservicessuchascabdriving,bureaudechange,tour guide,bartendingandsoon,tothenumeroustouriststhattroopintothecountryannually.Therefore, thelevelofinteractionsandcontactsbetweenthetouristsandthepeopleofGambiaiscontinually ontheincrease.Sometouristshavetakenupphilanthropicengagementsinthecountrytosponsor localtoschoolswhileothershavefoundloveandsettleddowntomarrytoGambiancitizens.Oneof theimplicationsofthisisthattherearecross-culturalrelationshipsbetweenthenativesandthe tourists.Therefore,theindigenouscultureofthepeoplearebeinginfluencedtoacceptcertai nNon-Africancontentsintheirmodeofdressing,choiceofoccupation,philosophy,lifestyleandactivities suchasclubbing,smoking,sexualorientationsandsoon.
Tsoudis(2001)highlightedsomenegativeimpactsoftourism onculturewhichinclude embezzlementoftheincomebeinggeneratedthroughtourism,highrateofconflictandtheftbythe locals,commercialsexualexploitationandsoon.Thereisalsoahighrateofcybercriminalsalso knownas(yahooboysandgirls)lookingforanabodeintouristcountriessoasnottogetcaughtin theirowncountryShaib(2019).AccordingtoGhuman(1997),theyouthsaremoreexposedthanthe menandwomeninthelocalityandduetotheirintentionofmoderncivilization,thelocalyouthstry toimitatewhatthetouristsdothroughtheirattitude,dress,food,songswhichasamatteroffact, thecultureisinterferedanddilutedduetothechangesintheirlifestylewhichisanevidenceofthe effectoftheculturalerosion.
increase.ItisnotanuncommonsighttoseeyoungGambianmaleswhoaremostlyprostitutes workingoutortryingtomaintainbodilyfitnesstoattractorengageprospectivefemaleandmale tourists.Suchunprotectedsexualencountersandexposureshavedireconsequencesonthe prevalenceofHIVandAIDsepidemicintheGambia.Theactivitiesofsomerandytouristsespecially thepaedophileswhoengageinchildsexhavedireimplicationsonthecultureofGambians.The governmentisconsciousofthetrendandthedangeritportendsforthepreservationofthe indigenouswayoflifeofthepeople.
ThegovernmenthasembarkedonseveralmeasuresthroughtheGambiaMinistryof Tourism &Culture(MOTC)topreservethecultureoftheGambianpeople.Asamatteroffact, MOTCwasestablishedandsaddledwiththeresponsibilitytooverseeactivitiesinthetourism sectoroftheeconomyandensurethatgovernmentpoliciesandcarriedout.Amongotherthings, theMOTC isresponsibleforthesafeguarding,managementanddevelopmentoftourism and cultureinGambia.Scholars(Raina&Agarwal,2005;Macintosh,1972)positedthatphysicaland culturalfactorsinfluencepeoples’choiceoftouristdestinations.Physicalconsiderationsinclude factorsthatbordersonthebodilywellbeingofthetouristandinterestinthelandscape,topography andspecificmedicaltreatment.Theculturalconsiderationsontheotherhand,includefactors connectedwiththetourist’spassiontoacquireknowledgeaboutothercountries,people,and cultureasexpressedinart,music,festivals,andliterature.Bearingthisinmind,theGambian governmentisdesirestoensurethattheculturesofthepeoplearenoterodedwhilethecountry embracestourism.
1.6TourismandCultureintheGambia:RecommendationsforEco-culturalDevelopment
Therelationshipbetweentourism andculturehasbeenfoundtobemutuallybeneficialforeconomic development.Thetourism industryhelpstoprojecttheculturalobjects,themesandidentitiesofthe indigenouscommunityhostingthetourists.Culturaltourism hasbecomeasignificantcontributorto socialintegration,revenuegeneration,andinfrastructuraldevelopmentamongothers.Tourism and cultureintheGambiahasseveralimplicationsforthecountryintermsofeconomicdevelopmentand culturalpreservation.Someoftherecommendationsbasedonthediscourseinthisstudyare:
Restaurantsand hotelsin theTourism DevelopmentAreas(TDA)should becompelled to showcaselocalorindigenousculturalthemesinfurniture,cuisines,dressingandsoon.
MoreGambiannationalsshouldbeinvolvedinthetourismandhospitalitybusiness.
Choiceoftourlocationsfortouristsshouldbeplannedandspecialtoursshouldbeconductedto culturally-sensitive locationslike localmarketplaces,historicalsites,culturalortraditional landmarksandsoon.
Thereisneedtoincreasetouristsnon-mandatoryexpenditurelevelandalsoreducethetaxrates ongoodsandservicessothatitdoesnotgettotheextentofbeingcounter-productive.
Thereshouldbeprogrammesliketourism tradefairswithculturalthemestohelpincreasethe influxoftourists,localandforeigninvestorstothecountry.Thiswillprojectthecultureofthe peopleandboosttheeconomy.
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