By Gideon Tucker
Sierra Leone’s tourism sector is arguably the best hope for a steady source of foreign exchange that could help stimulate the country’s economy and contribute to the development of the country.
The mining sector- first it was diamonds and then iron ore to rutile and bauxite, but they have not provided the desired results; especially for those the locals in those mining areas.
Rutile has been mined for decades in Moyamba district, yet it has the most depressing district headquarter town in the entire country.
Our much-glorified minerals have failed us. I could well recall growing up in the 1980s and hearing my mother (of blessed memory) discussing with other people, the appalling health condition of young men from her village in the Ribbi Chiefdom, returning from their diamond mining adventure in Kono and Tongo Fields, sick with bloated stomach and swollen feet. Many of them returned home with little or no money, and only to die. As I grew older, it then dawned on me that, the men have had their organs infected as a result of spending long hours in muddy streams and pits, looking for the precious mineral.
We need to move away from our obsession with mining and direct our efforts instead to making Sierra Leone a hub for tourism in West Africa.
The country is an untapped tourist paradise in waiting. Tourism has been neglected over the years, but recent steps taken by the present administration to give the sector much relevance should be applauded.
And personally, I think President Bio made quite a judicious decision to appoint Memunatu Pratt as Minister of Tourism. The woman just relishes the responsibility that has been given to her. Dr. Pratt is really having an impressive tenure in what was a pathetically neglected Ministry of Tourism.
Credence must be given to her for helping in the rebranding of Sierra Leone with her lively overseas presentations at Tourist Fairs of what the country can offer in the hospitality industry. She has largely contributed in positioning the country in such a way that travelers are beginning to take notice. Travel and Tour Guide Agencies too are beginning to do reasonable business again. In January this year, 300 Danish tourists came to Sierra Leone to savour our country’s enticing landscape and beaches.
This country has some of the finest beaches in the world that have left first time visitors to Sierra Leone speechless .A lot of transformation has taken place along the Aberdeen/Lumley beach and whilst the other numerous beaches need some artificial work, due regard must be given for these places to keep their natural surroundings intact.
The Sierra Leone Monuments and Relics Commission in conjunction with the Tourism Ministry and Tourist board must seriously embark on the restoration and preservation of historical sites and artifacts. Sierra Leone’s overwhelming claim of right to the slave era history has eroded over the years due to the lack of efforts to restore the ruins of Bunce Island, a prominent slave trade depot in West Africa. The services of curators must be sought, and funds provided to support the restoration of such key part of our country’s history. Many years ago, it was rumored at the time that American Anthropologist, Dr. Opala and the place could become a vital source of income for government and the private sector, thereby stimulating the economy by creating employment and injecting much needed foreign exchange.
Today Ghana is the favorite destination for American and European tourists largely as a result of Cape Coast and Elmina Castles, two slave trading posts that have been rehabilitated and well marketed. And the same could be done to our Bunce Island.
Beaches are not just what the tourist look for; they are equally inclined to look for interesting places to visit a well. Sierra Leone is not lacking either in this area, but those sites must be upgraded and made accessible with good roads and basic facilities to accommodate the tourists’ relatively short stay.
The Gola Rainforest National Park in the Kailahun district has got a lot of attractions that must be well marketed. Apart from its unique bird sightseeing, the park is home to the pygmy hippopotamus.
The country’s first wildlife sanctuary in northern Sierra Leone has also not been given the prominence it so deserves. Home to exotic fauna and primate, the Mamunta Mayosso sanctuary in the Tonkolili district, also boasts of the rare dwarf crocodile and the Red Colobus Monkey.
Off Pujehun district, is Tiwai Island which many people do not even know about. It is one of the most exciting and captivating places any tourist wishing to enjoy the freshness of nature would love to visit. I have not gone to the place yet but some friends of mine have, and they brought back stunning footage of Tiwai island. My friends told me they found some white tourists there who were so enthralled by what they saw that they made an emotional appeal for the place to remain an ecotourism site and for government to keep away hoteliers and other investors in the hospitality industry from destroying the natural beauty of the place.
The wonderful rocky hills overlooking Kabala Town in the Koinadugu district is a big family picnic venue for holidaymakers every December, and there are many more places that foreign tourists would just love to see. The government is struggling to revamp a battered economy and the painstaking efforts to engender a turnaround is quite challenging. Having a well-structured tourism sector and with all the interesting places to visit properly managed, can turn Sierra Leone into a tourist paradise. Similar views have experienced by many other people. Once American missionary to Sierra Leone, Elder Woode or “Krio Borbor’’ so captivated by the natural splendour of Sierra Leone, has on Facebook, challenged his American compatriots that in 10 years time, many of them will be trooping to Sierra Leone for vacation.
The recent shifting of the Budapest- Bamako charity rally to Freetown has just about brought Sierra Leone into the glare of dozens of countries around the world. Many of them might have been fascinated by what they’ve seen and might encourage their people home, to try the new tourist destination.
Former British diplomat to Sierra Leone Peter Penfold once said stability would bring tourists to the country. The country has been stable for nearly two decades now and time is well overdue to market the country’s unique tourist potentials to the rest of the world.
Presently the corona virus pandemic is taking a toll on global travel, but it will end. With a vivacious Tourism Minister Pratt, there is every reason to believe her aggressive marketing of Sierra Leone, would be in top gear once again. Just My Take.
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