Banana Island, off the coast of Yawri Bay, southwest of the Freetown Peninsula
FREETOWN, Sierra Leone, March 17, 2023 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/Time Magazine has just published its ‘World’s Greatest Places to Visit in 2023’, and Sierra Leone is expected to be in the top 50 places worldwide. President Julius Maada Bio’s massive investments and visionary leadership are paying off. In the report titled “Freetown Peninsula: Sierra Leone Africa’s new coast hub,” Terry Ward wrote, “Emerging from the pandemic with the support of the World Bank to help promote the West African nation’s rich tourism potential – with diverse wildlife, world class surfing waves, the vibrant coastal capital of Freetown and a brand new airport – all chances are that Sierra Leone will explode into the world of adventure travel. Ward also added: “The time to go is now.”
Speaking at the unveiling of the brand new airport in Lungi earlier this month, President Bio stated: “We intend to use the state-of-the-art airport to boost tourism and position the country as an aviation hub in the region,” rejected some skeptics. this as political rhetoric. A few months later, the world is gearing up for a possible wave of tourism activity in the country in the coming months.
Unbiased observers have long predicted the country’s future as one of the world’s top tourist destinations thanks to President Bio’s methodical investments in the sector. Home to rare birds and endangered species such as the pygmy hippopotamus, Diana monkey and chimpanzees, Sierra Leone’s rainforests and small exotic islands attract ecotourists and sport fishermen.
The unique beaches have become a major attraction, with white sands and safe seas that are calm, clear and warm for swimming.
Sierra Leone is also closer to Europe than other more developed beach destinations, such as the Caribbean, Maldives and Mauritius, and in the same time zone.
HE Dr. Julius Maada Bio, President, Republic of Sierra Leone
Thanks to quality leadership and strategic investments, the country is now ready to compete with other global tourism destinations.
Sierra Leone’s tourism potential has yet to be explored. The diverse ecosystem offers attractive white sand beaches, a tropical forest, scenic mountains and exciting wildlife. There are also historic islands offering a wide variety of activities including swimming, bird watching, fishing and hiking.
The decade-long civil war affected the tourism industry and destroyed infrastructure. With the resulting peace, stability and purposeful leadership, the industry has experienced consistent annual growth averaging 28 percent. However, the number of international arrivals fell significantly with the outbreak of the Ebola epidemic in 2014. Nevertheless, the industry quickly recovered when the country was declared Ebola-free in 2016, with arrivals rising by more than 500 percent in 2018.
There are opportunities to stimulate and attract investment in this sector. Having identified tourism as one of the diversifying growth sectors alongside agriculture and fisheries, the government formulated a National Tourism Policy and a National Ecotourism Policy to serve as blueprints for the sustainable development of the sector and aims to reach 20,000 international and 30,000 domestic ecotourism visits by 2025 to attract. The government is now issuing visas on arrival and has revised the high cost of travel to the country. The airport’s infrastructure has been improved, arrival facilities expanded and security enhanced. The private sector could be involved in the rehabilitation and reconstruction of existing hotels and the construction of new large-scale hotels, both in the beach areas and in the tropical forests. The government’s overall objective is to increase tourism revenues and jobs by promoting the country’s international image and cultural heritage, improving the policy and legal environment, developing historic sites, skills and infrastructure, marketing to promote tourism, diversify tourism products and attract investors to the sector.
Leading industry
Banana Island, off the coast of Yawri Bay, southwest of the Freetown Peninsula
The tourism industry has significant growth potential as the country showcases its tourist attractions and natural resources. Building human capacity in the tourism and hospitality sector offers prospects for investment in this sector.
Possibilities
Businesses can invest in building resorts, hotels and restaurants along the expanses of white-sand beaches and provide tourism services including tours, sport fishing, bird watching and hiking.
It’s time to explore the green countryside and pristine beaches of Mama Salone.
Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of African Leadership Magazine.
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Source: African Media Agency (AMA)
