FREETOWN, Sierra Leone, March 17, 2023 -/African Media Agency (AMA)/Time Magazine has just released its World’s Best Places for 2023, and it is expected that Sierra Leone will be listed in the top 50 places worldwide. The huge investment and visionary leadership of President Julius Maada Bio is bearing fruit. In a report entitled “Freetown Peninsula: Sierra Leone Africa’s new coastal hub”, Terry Ward, wrote, “Emerging from the pandemic with the support of the World Bank to help promote the rich tourism potential of the West African country – with its diverse wildlife, world-class surfing waves, the coastal capital of Freetown, and a new airport – all possibilities are in Sierra Leone to explode on the adventure travel scene. Ward also added that “The time to move is now.”
During his speech at the opening of the New Airport in Lungi earlier this month, President Bio said, “We plan to use the ultra-modern airport to boost tourism and position the country as an aviation hub in the region” some skeptics dismissed. this is political rhetoric. A few months ago, the world was preparing for a possible increase in tourism activities in the country in the coming months.
Unbiased observers have long discussed the future of the country as one of the best tourist destinations in the world because of President Bio’s methodical investment in the sector. Home to rare birds and endangered species such as pygmy hippopotamus, Diana monkeys and chimpanzees, the Sierra Leone rainforest and small exotic islands that attract eco-tourists and sport fishermen.
The unique beaches have become the main attraction, with white, sandy beaches 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.
Due to quality leadership and strategic investment, the country will now compete with other global tourism destinations.
Sierra Leone’s tourism potential has not been explored. The diverse ecosystem offers attractive white sand beaches, tropical forests, beautiful mountains, and exciting wildlife. There are also historic islands with a variety of activities, including swimming, bird watching, fishing, and hiking.
A decade-long civil war has crippled the tourism sector and destroyed infrastructure. With peace, stability, and purposeful leadership, the industry has seen consistent annual growth averaging 28 percent. However, international arrivals dropped significantly with the Ebola outbreak in 2014. However, the sector quickly rebounded when the country was declared Ebola-free in 2016, and arrivals increased by more than 500 percent in 2018.
There is an opportunity to stimulate and attract investment in this sector. After identifying tourism as one of the diversified growth sectors along with agriculture and fisheries, the government formulated a national tourism policy and a national ecotourism policy to serve as a blueprint for the sustainable development of the sector and seeks to attract 20,000 international and 30,000 domestic ecotourism visits by 2025. The government now grants visas on arrival and has checked the high cost of travel to the country. The airport infrastructure has been improved, arrival facilities have been increased, and security has been enhanced. The private sector can undertake the rehabilitation and reconstruction of existing hotels and build new large-scale hotels, in coastal areas and tropical forests. The overall goal of the government is to increase revenue and employment from tourism by promoting the international image and cultural heritage of the country, improving the policy and legal environment, developing historic sites, skills, and infrastructure, promoting marketing, diversifying tourism products, and attracting investors to the sector.
Main Sector
The tourism industry has significant potential for growth as the country presents tourist sites and natural resources. Building human capacity in the tourism and hospitality industry provides investment prospects in this sector.
Opportunity
Companies can invest in building resorts, hotels, and restaurants along the white sand beaches and provide tourism services, including tours, sport fishing, bird watching, and hiking.
It’s time to explore the green landscape and pristine beaches of Mama Salone.
Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of African Leadership Magazine.
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