Sierra Leone Poised to Benefit $100m from Tourism

The Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Mrs. Victoria Saidu Kamara has said that her industry contributes approximately $26m to the country’s economy. The fiscal amount according to her “is expected to rise fivefold to $100m in the next five years.”

Mrs Kamara made this disclosure while speaking at an International Conference on the Future of Global Politics, Nation Branding, Sustainable Tourism and International Investment in a Globalized World at the Berlin International Economics Congress organized by the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy (ICD) in Berlin, Germany.

The minister gave an overview of Sierra Leone´s tourism industry and its areas of development, including opportunities that are rife in the country.

“Sierra Leone is a unique and fascinating destination blessed with a landscape of extraordinary beauty, rich and diverse tropical wildlife, miles of pristine, unspoiled white and golden beaches with an interesting history and heritage.”

She highlighted the country’s tourism potentials, which include among others, protected areas with unique wildlife including the Pygmy hypos, Chimpanzee, jungle elephant and the eighteen national cultural heritage sites like Bunce Island.

The aforementioned she said, has led to the increase of visitors to mainly the business sector in the country.

The minister emphasised the need to develop the leisure market, which she believes, is an essential move to enhance bona-fide tourism in the country.

“In 2010, 33% of visitors were mainly from the business sector while 20% account for the  leisure market.”

In order to ensure effective and efficient activities in the tourism sector, a Tourism Strategic Action Plan has since been set up and adopted – hence the encouragement of the private sector as collaborating partners in reforming the industry.

“The strategy will also provide a road map to the development and promotion of Eco-tourism and create viable tourism development clusters of services and products.”

Mrs Kamara said her government has implemented several reforms aimed at enhancing rapid growth in the tourism sector. The revised Income Tax Act and the Development of Tourism Act in the country, lend credence to the fact that Sierra Leone is prepared to ease the process of business activities in the country.

She said Sierra Leone offers both local and foreign investment opportunities for entrepreneurs – a prerequisite for beach resort development, Eco-tourism, lodges and campsites throughout the country

The minister further mentioned the significant challenges faced by her government to enhance the socio-economic development of the industry. Those challenges once addressed, she maintained, would set the basis to increase employment opportunities, generate foreign exchange, revenue growth and alleviate poverty in the country.

“The tourism sector has been showing signs of recovery and has already attracted some investment from many foreign investors from Europe, the United States of America, Middle East, and Asia.”

She said the Chinese have taken the lead in terms of foreign investment and projects assistance in the country. They have spent $25m for the rehabilitation and construction of hotels, with an additional support for the government owned Bintumani Hotel. The hotel has been fully in operational after its refurbishment in 2003.

In an effort to encourage domestic investment in the tourism sector, the minister said Sierra Leoneans has also being engaged with the construction of new hotels across the country. This development has encouraged attractive duty free concession and tax holidays mainly because of its impact in the economic growth of the country.

Mrs Kamara said her ministry has seriously embarked on various promotional and marketing strategies in a bid to showcase Sierra Leone as a country that is ripe for business activities. She attributed it to the attendance of major tourism fairs in Europe such as the World Travel Market in London, the FITUR in Spain, Map/Top Resa in Paris and recently the ITB in Berlin. During participation in those fairs, the country’s potentials were propagated through promotional literature and brochures of international standards, tourism documentary films, among others.

She informed her audience about her government’s quest to promote private sector development through policy guidelines for both local and foreign investors in the country.

“There is now a government policy towards investment policy in Sierra Leone – the revised investment code which is considered to be a specific policy on investment. Within this policy, there are various incentive packages to encourage local and foreign investor’s participation in the development and promotion of the nation’s tourism industry,” she disclosed.

While stressing the need for adequate accommodation and other related facilities to meet the demands of international visitors, the minister called for private sector development as she rightly put it, “Sierra Leone is still a virgin market.”

She reiterated the infrastructural development undertaken by government like road networks to various tourist sites, improved communication facilities, and energy.

Umaru Jah, Berlin

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