Partners and associates
Leading partner and overall project management
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The Gambia Tourism Authority (GTA) was set up by an Act of the National Assembly in July 2001 as a statutory body to develop, regulate and promote the Tourism Industry in The Gambia in line with the national Vision 2020. That is to develop The Gambia into a world class tourist destination and business centre with a diversified and upgraded product so as to attract high spending tourists and generally increase demand. As the executing arm of the Department of State for Tourism and Culture, the GTA is responsible for the licensing and regulation of tourism enterprises and provision advice to potential investors. Gambia wants to focus in particular on ecology related tourism and develop niche products for which the country has a comparative advantage. GTA with their other African partners is part of a growing network of sustainable tourism enterprises in Africa. They work in co-operation with their European partners to develop sustainable tourism products and services in Africa. At this moment GTA has the experience, and also the readiness, to incorporate sustainable tourism principles into their industry.
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Partners
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Since the 1970s, the government of Cameroon has cultivated the industry by creating a ministry of tourism and by encouraging investment by airlines, hotels, and travel agencies. The Cameroon Ministry of Tourism is responsible for marketing tourism in Cameroon.
www.cameroun-infotourisme.com
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The Tour Operators Union of Ghana (TOUGHA) was formed in November 2000 with a mandate to improve standards locally and also to promote Ghana aggressively through local initiatives. TOUGHA mission statement is: to strive for professionalism and integrity, and to ensure the growth and recognition of the union in the tourism industry for the benefit of all its members. The aims and objectives of the union are:
- To bring together registered Tour Operators and foster good working relationships among them;
- To influence tourism legislation;
- To contribute to tourism development and ensure high standards in the industry;
- To create awareness for domestic tourism;
- To liaise with international tourism organizations and societies.
www.tougha.com |
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ECEAT – Projects
Technical support on sustainable tourism development, standards and marketing is provided by ECEAT - Projects, the European Centre for Eco and Agro Tourism.
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The European Centre for Eco and Agro Tourism - Projects is an independent, non-profit organisation based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
ECEAT – Projects has 15 years experience in developing and implementing innovative projects in the field of sustainable and rural tourism. ECEAT – Projects takes a practical, result-oriented approach, taking full responsibility for not only the development of the tourism products but especially the actual promotion on the international consumer and business markets.
Recently ECEAT – Projects took the lead in some innovative initiatives such as:
- The VISIT initiatives creating a baseline standard and umbrella organization for European sustainable tourism certificates (www.yourvisit.info);
- The establishment of a marketing platform for Latin American sustainable products (www.LINKALL.org)
- The Travelife initiative, a sustainability management system for tour operators (travelife.eu)
The ECEAT team has a multidisciplinary composition and includes experts in economy, micro-enterprise development, rural development, planning, marketing, communication, training and of course, tourism. ECEAT-Projects works together with third parties, mainly tourism experts, NGOs, universities and sectoral organisations.
ECEAT - Projects is linked to the European ECEAT network with branches in more than 15 European countries promoting more than 1.500 sustainable accommodations in rural areas.
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Stattreisen (Reisepavillon) - Germany
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What started in 1991 as a meeting place for alternative and youth travel operators has over the years grown into an international fair. Reisepavillon is the unique German Travel Fair for Sustainable Tourism. Reisepavillon sees itself as a platform for the future of tourism with the task to promote sustainable tourism and to show how sustainability and business success need not exclude each other. In 2009 and every other year after the fair will be organized in Hannover (Exhibition Grounds) alongside the ABF leisure and consumer goods fair, and in all even-numbered years at the new trade fair grounds in Stuttgart. Stattreisen Hannover e.V. retains responsibility for the Reisepavillon concept and organization.
http://eng.reisepavillon-online.de/
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Federation of Tour Operators - UK
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The Federation of Tour Operators (FTO) is bringing on board UK's leading tour operators. The vision of the FTO is to ensure the continued long term success of the air inclusive holiday by influencing governments and opinion formers on the benefits to consumers and other stakeholders of air inclusive holidays compared to other forms of holiday arrangements. Members of the FTO are becoming increasingly aware of the socio-cultural, economic and environmental impacts of their products and services. In 2003, they formed a Responsible Tourism Committee and are developing a series of initiatives to assist tour operators to integrate responsible tourism practices into their core business.
www.fto.co.uk
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Associates
Association of Small Scale Enterprises in Tourism (ASSET)
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The Association of Small Scale Enterprises in Tourism (ASSET) was established in April 2000 in order to bring together, advocate for, and promote a large number of small enterprises that were active in the tourism industry in The Gambia. These businesses include craft market vendors, tourist taxi drivers, official tourist guides, juice pressers and fruit sellers as well as a number of small hotels, guest houses and ground tour operators etc. Within five years ASSET has attracted more than eighty organisations into membership, has hosted an international conference on Fair Trade in Tourism, has been recognised by the Gambia Tourism Authority (GTA) as an important voice for the previously voiceless and has become a leading player in the Gambian Responsible Tourism Partnership programme that is being led by the GTA. This programme brings together the principal stakeholders in the tourism industry (government, tour operators, ground handlers, hoteliers and small scale businesses) in order to ensure that the adverse impacts of tourism are minimised and that maximum benefits are gained by local people and their communities. ASSET's future goals include the training of large numbers of personnel working in tourism, the development and implementation of industry wide standards and the marketing of the diverse and excellent services that are provided by ASSET members.
www.asset-gambia.com
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Eco-Benin
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The Benin Ecotourism Concern (ECO-BENIN NGO) was created in 1999 as a working group for nature promotion in Benin through ecotourism to establish and maintain good working relationship between local and international non-governmental organisations, regional and international wildlife societies, travel industries, and other relevant bodies. In line with the broadening of sustainable nature promotion issues, the group took a Non Government Organisation status. Eco-Benin’s mission is to ensure better living standards of communities at local and national level through ecotourism and eco-development promotion as a sustainable management of natural resources. It focuses on three programmes : Advocacy environmental education, Identification and creation of valuable domestic ecotourism sites, and Natural resource management which includes wildlife, forestry and fisheries issues. The activities of Eco-Benin are:
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Disseminating information to increase recognition and understanding of ecotourism in Benin
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Providing information concerning the utilization and conservation of resources for local communities, travel agencies, guides and government
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Promoting the implementation of appropriate ecotourism through the accreditation programme, training and related seminars
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Supporting local communities so that the profit from ecotourism will go not only to the travel industry but also to the local inhabitants
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Contributing to the global development of ecotourism in cooperation with other worldwide ecotourism organisations
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Managing attractive natural sites, legendary caverns and cultural patrimonies
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Managing particular ecosystems with/or habitat of threatened species.
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www.ecobenin.africa-web.org/en/
Nigeria Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC)
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The Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) is the apex tourism body responsible for promoting, marketing and disseminating information on the industry locally and internationally, through publication of hand books, brochures and general guidelines for the operation of the industry. It colaborates with the private sector as well as other tiers of government in implementing policy directives and executing tourism projects. It co-ordinates the activities of organised private sector tourism associations and practitioners.
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National Organisation for Tourism Integration in Senegal (ONITS)
ONITS (National Organisation for Tourism Integration in Senegal) is a private organisation
grouping Senegal's small hotel owners.
www.onitsenegal.com
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National Tourist Board of Sierra Leone
The National Tourist Board of Sierra Leone is a semi –autonomy organization that came to being by an Act of Parliament in 1990 charged the responsibility of enhancing the development and promotion of Sierra Leone unique tourism destination. The Responsibilities of the Board is to create the enabling environment for tourism developers and promoters to sustainable participate in adding value to Sierra Leone tourism products. Key stakeholders who are involved and participate in tourism promotion in the country include Travel and Grand Handling Agencies, Hoteliers and other related tourist establishment.
www.visitsierraleone.org
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International marketing associate
West African products are promoted to the European markets in partnership with leading tourism marketing initiatives:
Travelife – Market
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Travelife-Market is the sustainable tourism marketing service for the European Tour Operators. Travelife – Market remains active contacts with more than 700 tour operators and offers international tour operators comprehensive, reliable and up-to-date information on sustainable tourism products that are currently available on the global market. Central to Travelife Market is a database of tourism suppliers with credentials for being sustainable. The list of products ranges from accommodations, community-based tourism products, inbound tour operators, protected areas and sustainable destinations. To ensure quality and sustainability, all the products have been screened based on our quality and sustainability criteria.
Travelife Market offers a range of services, including a matchmaking service to support new product development for tour operators; the organisation of familiarisation trips; the involvement of expert outbound operators in sustainable tourism development projects.
Travelife Market cooperates with environment and development organisations to promote sustainable products world-wide such as UNEP, the Dutch SNV, the German GTZ, the Aga Khan Foundation and the US based Sustainable Travel International.
www.greentravelmarket.info
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Financial partner
PRO€INVEST
With the technical and financial support from PRO€INVEST. PRO€INVEST is a programme of the Group of ACP States and the European Commission for the promotion of investment and technology transfers in ACP countries. Its management has been entrusted to the Centre for the Development of Enterprise (CDE) under the supervision of Europe Aid Cooperation Office of the European Commission (EuropeAid).
www.proinvest-eu.org
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