# Tourism

Hieronder kan je kiezen om de uitleg in tekst of video te volgen.

Tourism is very important to Gambia's economy. 25% of its GNP (estimate of the total value of all the final products and services) is earned by tourism. This means that Gambia is a very attractive destination for tourists and that Gambia makes a lot of its money from tourism. Gambia is so attractive because of its beaches and pleasant climate.

These touristic locations aren't just appealing to tourists, but also to the locals. That is because the many beaches, hotels, resorts, and other amenities provide plenty of job opportunities for the local inhabitants. All companies involved in tourism are part of the tourism industry. We divide these job opportunities in 2 types;

1. direct employment, jobs that are directly connected to tourism such as hotel personnel or souvenir sellers. The personnel directly sell a product or service to the tourist.

2. indirect employment, jobs that make a place attractive for tourists but do not involve direct interaction with them. Examples include construction workers who build hotels or staff at an advertising agency. The construction workers build the hotel, which is crucial for attracting tourists, but they do not directly sell anything to them.

In Gambia, many people work in the informal sector. These jobs don’t require special skills, and the workers are paid very little. They don’t earn much because their work is not officially registered. This means they have no job security, no legal rights, and no benefits like health insurance.

When many tourists visit the same place at the same time, it is called mass tourism. There are four characteristics of mass tourism:

1. Enormous amount of tourists in high season

2. Big international companies play an important role

3. Holidays are booked through travel companies

4. Impacts spacial planning (planning where houses, parks, roads, and other facilities are built)

Tourism