ECCO Gambia and ECCO International see The Gambia in the future as the Golden example; as an inspiration for on responsible tourism internationally because of its fantastic river, its great traditions, its unique, diverse culture and harmonious cultural co-existence.

The Gambia has a great potential for creating, implementing and sustaining a tourism industry where charter and the responsible travel complement and positively influence each other. This will not only benefit the local communities along the river, but the country as a whole, branding it an attractive tourist destination.

We will lay the foundation for a unique national strategy that will benefit the whole tourism industry as well as all other liaisons to the International Community. It will strengthen the foundation of norms, values, customs and inter-cultural skills existing in the Gambian society for the up-coming generations and act as an inspiration to the international community.

Strategy-process

1. The Initial Phase (3 months)

• Information-gathering from all stakeholders. National and International mind-map. Discussions and further definition of the task.
• Desk Research  and identification of the strongest network in The Gambia, supporting the Tourism Industry and the upcoming Responsible travel product.
• International customer-insight and ”best practice” studies  in the  Responsible travel market.
• Research- trip mainly  up the river but also along the coast. Interviews and building the network. Collecting ideas supporting the strategy impact.

• Report and conclusions of the overview phase sent to the Minister.  This report will include :

•     The first views of responsible travel products and possibilities of organizing
•     Go To Market strategy possibilities,
•     Product marketing
•     Human resource issues in building new products
• The impact and possibilities of international network in the upcoming months.

• Evaluation of the initial phase with the Ministry of Tourism and Culture. Including next step discussions and decisions that will pinpoint  targets of Ecco works and other targets to be reached by Governmental efforts.
• This will lead to the first calculation  where 10 points starts transforming into a 100  points.

2.  The Strategic Phase (6 months)

• In close collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Culture define and pinpoint specific Goals for the implementation-plan.
• Deskwork: Building three first editions of possible strategic impact and approach with different positions.
• Interviews and opinions of known as well as new national stakeholders in The Gambian tourism sector.
• Building  specific responsible travel focus areas and impact.
• A mid-ways evaluation meetings with the Ministry of Tourism and Culture. Meetings with chosen important networks in the Gambia as well as international partners.
• In this meeting, each of  the 3 approaches realizing the strategic goals  should have a draft plan for the next 1 – 5  years . This meeting will narrow down the possibilities and  strengthen the focus of the process.
• Building the plan and national network and alliances for reaching these goals in the focus areas and the raise ability to create the impacts in the products.
• At the end of this phase another day-long meeting with the Ministry of Tourism Including next step discussions and decisions that will pinpoint targets of Ecco’s works and other targets to be reach by Governmental efforts. ´
• This will lead to the second calculation where 10 points starts transforming into a 100  points.
• 3. Final  plan for implementation of the strategy (2 months)

• Market, donor alliance  and partner survey on an international level.
• Building the final strategy plan: a) Focus b) Targets c) Organising d) Go To market strategy  e) Product marketing f) Plan for International network approach.
• Development of crucial next step  actions on draft-projects and budgets for implementation of the content of the strategy.
• Organising  the up-coming implementation of the Gambian Responsible Travel strategy.
• Budget and plan of action for the next 3-5 years.
• At the end of this phase another day-long meeting with the Ministry of Tourism Including next step discussions and decisions that will   pinpoint  targets of Ecco works and other targets to be reached by Governmental efforts.  
• This will lead to the third calculation  where 10 points starts transforming into a 100  points.

4. Adjusting and Finalising The Responsible travel strategy for the Gambia  (1 week)

• We prepare the written and audiovisual presentation for the Ministry and we actually present the Strategy for implementation.

5. Donor and partner financial/investment-plan (ongoing)

• This is an ongoing process, where we come up with a paper on the Scandinavian market, match-making, donors and partnerships.