Investigating and comparing the development of Gambiaand Masai Mara. Showing the impacts of tourism on the physical environment and on the local community in the two locations.

Travel and Tourism Coursework Krupesh Makwana

Investigating and comparing the development of Gambia and Masai Mara. Showing the impacts of tourism on the physical environment and on the local community in the two locations.

Introduction

I have chosen Gambia and the Masai Mara in my investigation because they are two contrasting locations. For these locations I have chosen I will be showing how each country has developed into a tourism destination and showing the impacts of the physical environment and the local community. I am going to be studying these to locations separately and then in the conclusion I will be comparing the two locations.

Below is a map of Gambia taken from: -

http://www.geographyiq.com/countries/ga/Gambia_The_map_flag_geography.htm

Gambia it self is a winter sun holiday (Nov-Apr).

It has Beach resorts, boat ride/wildlife, beautiful beaches and a big advantage for the tourists and the local people, is that the local people speak English.

There is many misunderstandings and inequalities which are that the hosts think that tourists are very wealthy and they will just keep giving and they feel they have unlimited spending so they tend to beg.

The Tourism in The Gambia started in the 1960s this was, when Gambia got independence from Britain.

In recent years there have been quite a few impacts on tourism. Several of impacts which have effected the physical environment of the country and some the cultural aspects.

The Gambia

Local community

The Gambia is a small country on the west coast of Africa. Tourism in this country has grown very fast since the 1965s the numbers were recorded as 660 tourists; in 1975 there has been an definite increase which recorded more than 25,000 and a rapid increase which had 112,986 tourists in 1998/99.

The Population in the Gambia is 1,367,124 (approx). The majority of the population is Muslim. The Gambian tourist organisations and the Government, agree that the social and cultural impacts of tourism require some action, because there are many differences in cultural ways of living and dressing. So these organisations are developing a better relationship with the Muslim local people and the western tourists and build a good relationship.

Also as the land is mainly populated with Muslim they determine how people should behave and dress causing conflict (e.g. if a woman went on the beach topless the local people (Muslims) would have very much of conflict against this tourism they get.) Also another example could be that, the tourists from Western Europe may show affection by kissing or holding hands in public. Many local Gambians are brought up to believe that such public shows of affection are not acceptable behaviour.

In the Gambia there are a range of cultures coming in from the tourists. This could mean that often that the tourist’s behaviour could differ from how the local people would want them to behave but which the tourist’s find it natural and acceptable.

In The Gambia, dress codes are important in Muslim societies. In the traditional Gambia society, the clothing should loosely cover all parts of the body. And the men wear ’long draped clothing and wrap their heads with cloth ties’. The tourists tend to frequently wear shorts and clothing, which shows off their body e.g. arms and legs. This is a concern as the local’s people are to be confronted by this different attitude to dress.

Gambia has issued a magazine called CONCERN. It wants to help in the ...

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Gambia has issued a magazine called CONCERN. It wants to help in the long term by protecting the environment of holiday areas and social-economic.

Below shows what the magazine is trying to achieve and how: -

CONCERN

CONCERN is a monthly magazine on Tourism. It is published by the Gambia Tourism Concern, an organisation which has the aim to ensure that the benefits of tourism is given a chain effect so that many people who are excluded today may become beneficiaries.

The approach of Tourism Concern is participatory, it wants to involve as many people as possible in the industry so that both, the short term interest and the long term protection of the environment of holiday areas and socio-economic gains of the inhabitants may be assured. To do this, the magazine is to serve as a forum to educate and inform all sectors that are involved in tourism about the positive and negative impacts the industry can have on people and their environment.

Over the years the question of Bumsters or beach boys who follow tourists have been of prime concern to all those involved in the industry. What can be done to understand their situation and evolve a scheme to involve them in some gainful enterprise is also the concern of Gambia Tourism Concern. The magazine CONCERN shall be designed to address the concerns of such young people land give some them gainful employment: The proceeds from the magazine will be divided into three parts. One part shall go to the vendors, the other part shall be retained by the organisation and the other part shall be the contribution towards the cost of the magazine.

The cost of production is very high. Tourism Concern is therefore hoping that it shall receive the support of all those involved in the industry by advertising with it.

For a start, CONCERN shall be a monthly magazine and shall gradually be transformed into a weekly.

The magazine CONCERN shall be dealing with all issues of interest and shall endeavour to promote local initiatives.

We hope to launch the magazine in November 96.

Our co-ordinator or representative shall be meeting different people and heads of organisations/companies to give details of our plans and seek for advice. Your SUPPORT and CONCERN to this venture is appreciated. Adama Bah, Co-ordinator Gambia Tourism Concern

This information is taken from: - http://www.africanculture.dk/gambia/concern.htm

The Gambia has tried to develop a tourist industry along its coastline, in order to get some extra money into the economy. However, already it is seeing increases in theft, begging and prostitution, which is exactly what it was afraid of when it first begun developing. This only affects a small amount of the country, with over 75% of the population relying on traditional agriculture for its income. This is because tourism is mainly kept along the coast, with very few tourists traveling away, due to the poor infrastructure.

“The Gambia or some Gambians continue to rely on the industry to fend and scrape for means of livelihood The benefits of the industry could be skimmed as bordering on employment, cultural exchanges, exposure for Gambians on certain aspects (or elements) of our contemporary world which the limited scope of our material outreach and the condition of our environments hardly make us partake of. "Infrastructural phenomenon", as it is sometimes called in the third world context.”

This information was taken from

The information shows us how the Gambians are trying to rely on the benefits of tourism as they bring in employment, and cultural exchanges.

But the tourists never take in account of three key ideas: -

A holiday destination is someone else’s home.
People can benefit but can lose out from tourism development in their locality.
Our choices and actions (tourists) as holidaymakers have consequences for the people who live in tourist destinations.

Dress in Gambia is always seemed to be a problem but it also could have it’s positive impacts: -

Clothes worn by the tourists in such a destination could promote the destination itself e.g. in brochures or post cards. This would lead to inviting more people and attracting them to come to Gambia.

Hosts preserve pride in their culture and may revive interest in traditional costume.

Religion is a major role in Gambia as they are mainly all Muslims (90%+). Religion us a strong and major influence on the holidaymakers it teaches how to change there attitudes towards food, drink, clothing and manners.

Arts and crafts production and quality is not always positive.

Here is a photograph taken from http://www.gambianews.com/clientwebs/tourism-govt/MinTourism-photographs.htm

This shows us some of the traditional ways of dressing and the way the live there livelihood.

Environmental Impacts

The environments quality in The Gambia is natural and man-made. As The Gambia’s environment is natural and man-made it is vital to tourism. There is many ways how tourism can effect the environment.

E.g. Impacts are mainly connected with the infrastructure being constructed, such as airports, hotels, restaurants, shops, golf courses and roads which are very vital. Therefore resulting in the loss of habitat. The loss of the natural environment meant that the host communities have less peace and quiet. A Positive impact here is that infrastructure (roads, water supplies, and electricity) has been improved for tourist visiting, which help a lot of the local people living there.

Soil erosion and footpath erosion at destinations such as The Gambia could cause problems e.g. pollution, litter, waste, which is put into rivers and the sea.

Also tourism can have potential to have a beneficial side to the effects on the environment by the tourists by protecting the environment. And have more of an awareness to protect the environment and increase the countries economic side.

It also puts the countries status high as it can employ more people because tourism is an essential part in tourism and tourism tends to be “labour intensive”.

A disadvantage in the country is that the country doesn’t achieve the total income of the visitors from overseas. They gain 15 percent of the total money spent on a holidays. This is what are called leakages. This means people in different countries such as Britain own hotels or leisure facilities etc…

All-inclusive hotel: source taken from

http://www.gambianews.com/yp-images/hotel-images/atlantic-hotel1.JPG

An all-inclusive holiday is a holiday you pay for in advance and u receives everything such as food and drink and a nice hotel.

People in The Gambia have to make their own living by selling arts and crafts which are souvenirs to the tourists. The local Gambians have to make what the tourists prefer and this could have cultural impacts because a tourist may buy something religious to the Gambians because it looks good.

Now I am going to investigate my second location Masai Mara.

Introduction

Masai Mara is a location in Kenya. It is on the southwest of Kenya and it mainly consists of wildlife, the scenery and the climate it has. It covers over 1500 km (squared). It has wildlife as its main feature including many animals such as lions, tigers, elephants, rhino’s, and zebras. It also has beautiful scenery which people love such as tourists, which attracts them to the country.

Below is a Map of the Masai Mara

http://www.masai-mara.com/mmvm.htm

Here below is a scenery from the Masai Mara National reserve Park

Local Community

Tourists mainly go to the Masai Mara for the animals which are freely in the wildlife. The tourists are taken in a minibus with the roof top open to see the wildlife and can take photos of the animals, this is called a safari. Taking photographs of the animals also scare the animals because of the flash. The negative impact of this is that the minibus drivers get paid off by the tourists so they go closer to the animals and scare there habitat even though the policies is that the bus can not go more than 25 meters close to any animals. To reduce this there is a patrol of officers in the parks but still sometimes the rules are disobeyed. Also the minibus drivers are meant to stay on the road given but they don’t and soil erosion is taken place.

Beautiful picture of the sunset in the Masai Mara

The effect of off road driving: source taken from

The people of Kenya in the Masai Mara are very powerful people and are sort of known for their bravery as they do many things and live off the land and fight and kill animals such as a lion.

Tourists go to the villages of the Masai Mara to buy souvenirs and look at how they live in the wild. The Masai Mara earns money from the tourists but they can be very fussy. E.g. in the Masai Mara video we seen in class this tourist went to buy a souvenir and 3 people said different prices for one same thing this meant that they are trying to get money out of tourists because they think they are very rich. Also by living in Kenya in the Masai Mara there has been schools built and water has been supplied for the people.

From the Video I saw there was touring the park in a hot air balloon this has an affect on the park and the wildlife because it frightens the wild and disturbs there habitat because it makes a loud noise.

The Tour operators back in the homeland country of the tourists they just want to please the customer and they don’t really tell them about the environment and how to help it. They sell their tickets and they are pleased. Now in the Masai Mara there is a mean of more tourists coming there this means that they need more infrastructure for the tourists and this may mean that the may have to use up land of the park and cause habitats to break.

Pictures taken from: http://www.go2africa.com/kenya/masai-mara/masai-mara-national-reserve/

Comparison

The Gambia and the Masai Mara are sort of different in there own way as Masai Mara is a wildlife area with safaris and the Gambia is a main attraction coastal resort for tourists.

The Gambia is a coastal resort so it attracts different people to the Masai Mara. Such as people who like the safari and who like animals and wildlife to people who like the sun, sea and sand.

The Gambia is more likely to attract youngsters (20+) because it’s more of a sea, sand and sun which young adults tend to like and explore. Whereas the Masai Mara will be opposite to this as it will want more old adults to come as it is more like a safari.

The people who was go to The Gambia may have children who are young and who would rather enjoy it in the seaside resort rather than the safari’s where they may even get scared of the animals.

Whereas when you are at an old age you don’t really have much to worry about because your children maybe in university or even married with there own family. So you have more time on your hand so you could go around the world visiting places of your choice. Also they would prefer to go see wildlife in Kenya because it would help them learn about the culture and the different traditions, than going on to a normal holiday with sea, sand and sun.

Also people go on holidays for different reasons such as in the Gambia a person may go there for just peace and quiet and have a relaxing time where as in the Masai Mara the person would want to have an adventure and explore about animals.

Bibliography

Here are the websites that helped me with this investigation.

Masai Mara – Video (seen in class)