Gambia is one of the smaller countries in Africa and one of the first countries in the continent to promote tourism among Europeans. Its history of travel and tourism dates back to 1960 when tourists from Scandinavia first reached this picturesque country. With a reasonable temperature of 30 degrees throughout and sandy Atlantic beach, Gambia is one of the favorite spots for visitors.
Apart from that, there are other added attractions. It is only a six hour flight from major European cities,it is less expensive than other parts of the world and the soothing winter sun rays on the beach are too good to miss. Of late, Gambia has started facing stiff competition from other destinations like Dubai, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco that offer more than what Gambia does.
Tourists are more attracted towards these cities because of their cultural heritage, eco-tourism, shopping facilities and sporting activities. Even in Africa itself, several new tourist spots are coming up and as a result, Gambia has lost its old charm and glory.
Gambia is rich in scenic beauty and was a favorite spot for many travelers at one point of time. Fortunately, it has started to figure again on the travel map of tourists. With a diversified tourism policy, travel operators are now interested in taking tourists on bush-walking, bird excursions and river cruises in small ships. Operators are arranging tours in both Gambia & Senegal at a time and it has proved to be a great success.
A good number of visitors are coming to Gambia now, as the facilities have improved remarkably, and there is also the new concept of travel insurance that is helping the tourism sector. Most tourists are from the UK, Germany, Scandinavia & other European Union countries. Anticipating this growth, the British, German & other airways have increased the number of their flights.
With these improvements, around 1.7 million people of Gambia will be benefited, as well as Senegal, being the neighbour of Gambia. It is a fact that Gambia can never compete with countries like South Africa, Kenya or Tanzania, as all of them have superb wildlife sanctuaries, sophisticated beaches and excellent resorts. But, with its limited resources, Gambia is trying hard to woo visitors and going by the good turnout the last couple of years, it can be said that Gambia has made a major comeback.
Health concerns in Africa have always been an issue, so utmost importance is now being given to this sector. There are a number of medical shops stocked with necessary medical supplies. There are hospitals with all modern facilities and emergency services have also been improved to a great extent. There is also a growing awareness about health insurance.
Because of its high population density and also the ever increasing number of tourists, the country’s public health system has to be very efficient. A higher level of insurance coverage is required for visitors. Also, in order to get Schengen visa for Gambia, tourists need to have enough travel insurance cover to avoid any type of difficulties on their visit.
There are various medical policies in Gambia and all the insurance companies strictly abide by the rules & regulations. With more and more foreigners coming to Gambia, the travel insurance segment has developed well and the insurance costs are quite affordable and can be bought easily.Gambia is a country equipped with all modern medical facilities, in case you have an injury or a sudden illness, fall, you will be given the best possible health care.
