The Senegalese President, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, expressed his desire to make Senegal a flagship tourism destination in West Africa and to organize a “major” international tourism fair each year.
During the Council of Ministers held on Wednesday, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye instructed the Minister of Tourism and Crafts to collaborate with that of Air Transport, airlines and the private sector to organize annually a major international tourism fair. The objective of this show is to promote the “Senegal destination” on a global scale and to boost domestic tourism, indicates the press release from the Council of Ministers.
President Faye stressed that tourism is a key sector of the Senegalese economy, capable of generating growth and creating numerous jobs, emphasizing the need to strengthen local initiatives and rely on actors on the ground. .
The Minister of Tourism and Crafts, Mountaga Diao, was thus instructed to work in synergy with tourist circuit operators, local associations and other professionals in the sector in order to revitalize promotional activities.
Read also: Senegal/legislative: President Bassirou Faye calls on political actors to “show responsibility and restraint”
Among the priorities identified, the Senegalese Head of State highlighted the importance of “strategic control” of developments on the national coastline. He insisted on rigorous management of the construction of hotel and tourist establishments, particularly on sites under the responsibility of the Society for the Development and Promotion of Coasts and Tourist Zones of Senegal (SAPCO).
At the same time, he underlined the urgency of significantly improving the living environment and security in tourist areas and sites but also of ensuring the permanent strengthening of the tourist police to better secure activities, according to the press release.
The Head of State also asked the government to integrate tourism into professional training programs, particularly within the 3FPT (Professional and Technical Training Financing Fund) and the national State-Employer convention. . It is also a question of supporting the National Hotel and Tourism Training School as well as training centers for tourism professions, adds the text.
To ensure sustainable and rapid development of tourism, Mr. Faye asked the Minister of Tourism and Crafts and the Minister of Finance and Budget to evaluate, restructure and strengthen tourism financing through the readjustment of interventions of hotel credit, a mechanism which must establish the rapid recovery and sustainable development of the sector, concludes the press release.
With MAP
