Tourism in Senegal
Encyclopedia
Scale
From a relatively small industry at the introduction of the first Club MedClub Med
Club Méditerranée , commonly known as Club Med, is a French corporation of vacation resorts found in many parts of the world, usually in exotic locations. It is considered the original all-inclusive resort.-Foundation:...
resort in the 1970s, Tourism has grown to be an important part of the Senegales economy. Since the 1990s, Senegal has made an effort to reach beyond visitors from the former colonial power France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, in part motivated by the example of neighbouring Gambia which draws a relatively larger tourist share from Northern Europe and the Americas to its Banjul
Banjul
-Transport:Ferries sail from Banjul to Barra. The city is served by the Banjul International Airport. Banjul is on the Trans–West African Coastal Highway connecting it to Dakar and Bissau, and will eventually provide a paved highway link to 11 other nations of ECOWAS.Banjul International Airport...
coastal resorts.
In 2008, Senegal's foreign tourist visitors had reached one million, attracted to luxury beach resorts, natural and historic sites. The return rate for visitors stood at around 30% in 2008.
Future projections and bookings announced in 2009 raised fears that the global economic downturn would deal a blow to 2009 and 2010 tourist visits, with a booking rate down from 30% the year before to 5%.
Attractions
Known for its mild climate, attractive beaches and great fishing, Senegal has long been highly regarded by European tourists, mostly French and Belgian. U.S. tourists - often African-Americans - are increasing in numbers, drawn in particular by the historic slave trading post of Goree Island.Principal cities of interest include the capital, Dakar
Dakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
; Saint-Louis
Saint-Louis, Senegal
Saint-Louis, or Ndar as it is called in Wolof, is the capital of Senegal's Saint-Louis Region. Located in the northwest of Senegal, near the mouth of the Senegal River, and 320 km north of Senegal's capital city Dakar, it has a population officially estimated at 176,000 in 2005. Saint-Louis...
, an old colonial town; and the Mouride
Mouride
The Mouride brotherhood is a large Islamic Sufi order most prominent in Senegal and The Gambia, with headquarters in the holy city of Touba, Senegal...
holy centre of Touba
Touba, Senegal
Touba is a city in central Senegal. It is the holy city of Mouridism and the burial place of its founder, Shaikh Aamadu Bàmba Mbàkke...
. Gorée Island
Gorée
Île de Gorée Île de Gorée Île de Gorée (i.e. "Gorée Island"; is one of the 19 communes d'arrondissement (i.e. "commune of arrondissement") of the city of Dakar, Senegal. It is a island located at sea from the main harbor of Dakar ....
, formerly a centre of the West African slave trade and a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
, draws many visitors.
Most tourists from outside Africa are Europeans, especially French, and a hotel and resort industry centered around enclosed beach resorts, most at resort towns like Saly on the Petite-Côte south of Dakar, have been created to appeal to this clientele since the 1970s. Resort vacations are often supplemented by wildlife and nature tours of areas like the Sine-Saloum
Sine-Saloum
Sine-Saloum is a region in Senegal located north of The Gambia and south of the Petite Côte. It encompasses an area of 24,000 square kilometers, about 12% of Senegal, with a population in the 1990s of 1,060,000....
Delta, the Grande Côte (north of Dakar), the Lac Rose, and Senegal River delta in the north (near Saint-Louis
Saint-Louis, Senegal
Saint-Louis, or Ndar as it is called in Wolof, is the capital of Senegal's Saint-Louis Region. Located in the northwest of Senegal, near the mouth of the Senegal River, and 320 km north of Senegal's capital city Dakar, it has a population officially estimated at 176,000 in 2005. Saint-Louis...
. Historic sites around Dakar, Gorée Island
Gorée
Île de Gorée Île de Gorée Île de Gorée (i.e. "Gorée Island"; is one of the 19 communes d'arrondissement (i.e. "commune of arrondissement") of the city of Dakar, Senegal. It is a island located at sea from the main harbor of Dakar ....
, Museums, and monuments draw visitors. To the north, the colonial island town of Saint-Louis
Saint-Louis, Senegal
Saint-Louis, or Ndar as it is called in Wolof, is the capital of Senegal's Saint-Louis Region. Located in the northwest of Senegal, near the mouth of the Senegal River, and 320 km north of Senegal's capital city Dakar, it has a population officially estimated at 176,000 in 2005. Saint-Louis...
is visited for its long history and colonial architecture. There are also safari trips offered to see wildlife, perhaps limited by east or south African standards.
National parks and reserves
Senegal has a small but developing National Park and Reserve System. Notable among these are the Langue de Barbarie National ParkLangue de Barbarie National Park
The Langue de Barbarie National Park is located in northern Senegal about 18 km south of Saint-Louis in the region of Gandiol. The entrance to the park is in a small town called Mouit....
and Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary
Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary
The Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary lies on the southeast bank of the River Senegal in Senegal, in northern Biffeche, north east of St-Louis. It provides a range of wetland habitats which prove very popular with migrating birds, many of which have just crossed the Sahara. Of almost 400 species of...
which provide wildlife habitat in the dunes and mangrove swamps surrounding the mouth of the Senegal River
Sénégal River
The Sénégal River is a long river in West Africa that forms the border between Senegal and Mauritania.The Sénégal's headwaters are the Semefé and Bafing rivers which both originate in Guinea; they form a small part of the Guinean-Malian border before coming together at Bafoulabé in Mali...
near picturesque city of Saint-Louis. The Niokolo-Koba National Park
Niokolo-Koba National Park
The Niokolo-Koba National Park is a World Heritage Site and natural protected area in south eastern Senegal near the Guinea-Bissau border.-National Park:...
is a World Heritage Site and natural protected area in south eastern Senegal near the Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau
The Republic of Guinea-Bissau is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Senegal to the north, and Guinea to the south and east, with the Atlantic Ocean to its west....
border which protects a large variety of wild animals, including hippopotomii, elephants, and lions. Largely undeveloped, the area is remote and lacks tourist infrastructure, but is a destination for specialty tours. The Basse Casamance National Park
Basse Casamance National Park
Located near Oussouye in Ziguinchor, Basse Casamance National Park is one of six national parks in Senegal. It is currently closed.-Characteristics:It encompasses an area of 5000 hectares.The main biotopes are Guinean forests and savannah woodlands....
, in the far southwest, includes both ecotourism
Ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of tourism visiting fragile, pristine, and usually protected areas, intended as a low impact and often small scale alternative to standard commercial tourism...
and tropical forest excursions, and a popular coastal beach resort aimed at foreign tourism. The Cassamance conflict has hindered tourist development in this area. The Saloum Delta National Park
Saloum Delta National Park
Saloum Delta National Park or Parc National du Delta du Saloum in Senegal is a 76,000 - hectare national park in Senegal. Established in 1976, it is situated within the Saloum Delta at the juncture of the Saloum River and the North Atlantic....
is a large area of Mangrove
Mangrove
Mangroves are various kinds of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S...
estuaries and islands, visited by tourists for it wildlife, its cultural interest as the home of the minority Serer people
Serer people
The Serer people along with the Jola people are acknowledged to be the oldest inhabitants of The Senegambia....
, and its proximity to the tourist resorts of the Petite-Côte. Smaller parks and reserves, like the Guembeul Natural Reserve
Guembeul Natural Reserve
Guembeul Natural Reserve is a natural reserve located about 10 km south of Saint-Louis, Senegal, in the Gandiol region. It covers an area of 720 hectares, and was designated an IUCN category IV Faunal Reserve in 1983.The park is home to many species of birds, reptiles and mammals...
in the center west or the Bandia Natural Reserve near Dakar exit primarily for the more conventional European tourist industry, resembling Wildlife Parks or zoos.
African and Senegalese tourism
Senegal has a middle class prosperous enough to support local tourism, as well a large population of Senegalese living abroad. Apart from visits to family and friends, the city of DakarDakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
supports a local industry of holiday spots frequented by city dwellers. The beaches and islands to the north of the city, at places like Yoff
Yoff
Yoff is a town part of the city of Dakar. It lies north of downtown Dakar and immediately north of Dakar Airport . The town is built along the broad beach at Yoff Bay...
and Ngar, are particularly popular for Senegalese tourists. Senegalese, other African visitors, and expatriates often travel to religious sites and festivals, especially those connected with powerful Sufi Muslim brotherhoods of Senegal
Muslim brotherhoods of Senegal
This is a list of Muslim groups in Senegal . They are active Muslim organizations that can also be found in many other parts of Africa and the Islamic world.The three largest are:...
.
Infrastructure
The main entrance point is Dakar-Yoff International AirportDakar-Yoff-Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport
Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport is an international airport serving Dakar, the capital of Senegal. The airport is situated near the town of Yoff, north of Dakar...
. Senegal’s capital city of Dakar, on the westernmost point of the continent, is strategically located.
European flights into Dakar are populated by a mix of Senegalese living abroad, African travelers making connections, western European tourists, and a recent surge in Asian workers traveling to work on Chinese government
Government of the People's Republic of China
All power within the government of the People's Republic of China is divided among three bodies: the People's Republic of China, State Council, and the People's Liberation Army . This article is concerned with the formal structure of the state, its departments and their responsibilities...
funded construction projects.
United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
based Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines, Inc. is a major airline based in the United States and headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The airline operates an extensive domestic and international network serving all continents except Antarctica. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 4,000 flights every day...
opened in December 2006 an Atlanta/Dakar/Johannesburg/Dakar/Atlanta route. The Open Skies Agreement between the U.S. and Senegal signed in January 2001 laid the foundation for direct routes between the U.S. and Senegal by U.S. carriers.
British based travel companies, long organising trips to neighbouring anglophone Gambia, have begun entering a package travel market to Senegal which was until recently dominated by French and Belgian companies.