22 HOW TO SELL
gambia & cape verde Gambia & Cape Verde HOW TO SELL... by Roger St. Pierre
Governments who take conservation seriously have assured tourism of the sustainable kind for The Gambia and the Cape Verde Islands – two of the most interesting emergent destinations of recent times.
Both offer ecologically sensitive
THE GAMBIA ESSENTIALS TIME ZONE: GMT (same as UK) VISAS: No visa required CAPITAL CITY: Banjul LANGUAGE: English CURRENCY: Dalasi – 63 to £1 SEE:
visitthegambia.gm BOOK IT: Gambia Experience – Seven nights B&B at the 3.5 grade Kombo Beach Hotel is from £688 pp. The package includes return Gatwick flights, transfers and taxes.
gambia.co.uk; monarch.
co.uk;
thomas.cook.com GETTING THERE:
monarch.co.uk;
flythomascook.com
CAPE VERDE ESSENTIALS TIME ZONE: GMT -1hr VISAS: Visa issued on arrival but, with seven days’ notice, operators can arrange for applications to be electronically logged in advance. Visa costs are usually included in package prices. CAPITAL CITY: Praia LANGUAGE: Portuguese plus Verdean Creole is often heard. English is widely understood. CURRENCY: The Cape Verdean Escudo is only available on the islands but Euros are widely used. SEE:
capeverde.com BOOK IT: Thomson's all-inclusive seven-night package in Club Hotel Riu Garopa on Sal, with flights and transfers, is from £622 pp.
thomson.co.uk;
capeverde.co.uk capeverdeexperience.com GETTING THERE:
thomsonfly.com firstchoice.co.uk
development that, for the most part, has been building on rather than detracting from their natural charm. These are not lands of drab high-rises and excessive commercialisation. A low-lying, long and very narrow
country that stretches along both thickly wooded banks of a broad, slow- moving river that gives the country its name, The Gambia’s greatest asset is possibly its ever-smiling people, with their delightful culture. This is 'real Africa' – and without the
aggro. The country and its economy are stable and so too are prices, offering visitors great value in a country still proud to be in the British Commonwealth of Nations. Though the coastline is short, The Gambia’s beaches are justly renowned. While simply lying by the pool, soaking up the ever-present sun – the temperature never falls below 30 degrees – is tempting, this is a place to get out and explore. Game drives, fi shing trips, birding expeditions and other activities give agents opportunity to secure added value sales built onto the basic holiday cost.
Basking in almost permanent sunshine, way out in the Atlantic, south- west of the Canaries, the collection of once volcanic islands that make up the Cape Verde archipelago were also once part of a European empire –in their case Portuguese. And those African and
Brazilian infl uences have bequeathed a fascinatingly diverse culture. As with so many other such groupings, each of the islands has its own very unique identity, making island hopping an appealing option, whilst an ever-present call is the sea – whether simply relaxing at the beach or indulging in the host of water sports that can be enjoyed above or beneath the glistening waves.
WHY SELL?
Sell a holiday to The Gambia and there’s
a strong chance of securing repeat business as many Brits, once hooked, return year after year to this one-time British colony. The climate is wonderful, the beaches are unspoilt and the friendly people speak English.
WHO TO? Both destinations have a broad appeal
for all ages, with options for singles, couples, families or groups of friends. With no jet lag to worry about, they are especially suitable for winter short breaks of as little as fi ve days.
SELL WHAT? Says Kate Durham, Product Manager
Colourful African markets are popu- lar in The Gambia and Cape Verde
at specialist operator The Gambia Experience: “Just six hours fl ying time from the UK and, being in the same zone no great time difference to worry about, The Gambia affords a very real taste of Africa in a safe, tourist-friendly environment. The climate is fantastic, the locals welcoming and there is true value for money on offer.” Birding is a major visitor draw, along with quality fi shing that attracts visitors from across the globe. A boat trip upriver is a must as is a visit to one of the richly endowed game parks while the next-door former French colony of Senegal makes a super extra- commission add-on. The increased stock of quality hotels in recent times
View from Ngala Lodge, The Gambia
trekking, with jaw-dropping ravines, towering peaks and plummeting craters. Professional guides are available for everyone, from novices through to seasoned hikers. There’s a rich local culture to discover and plenty of vibrant nightlife to enjoy in the beach resorts.
SELL WHEN?
The Gambia has a semi-tropical
climate but without the steamy heat of many rival African destinations, making it a popular choice for winter breaks. Its climate is never oppressively hot and the rains never last for long but are suffi cient to keep the land lush, green and full of the teeming wildlife that is one of the country’s prime tourism assets. With its generally warm climate tempered by cooling Ocean breezes, Cape Verde is also a year-round destination but those seeking to avoid
has attracted a new, more upmarket, strata of visitors but holidays here remain relatively inexpensive. Cape Verde is now one of the world’s
top locations for surfi ng, wind surfi ng and kite surfi ng, thanks to its glistening waters and ever-present breezes. It’s also a magnet for nature lovers, earning a reputation as one of the world’s premier turtle nesting sites, as well as a great place for humpback whale watching – and it is in Cape Verde’s waters that these magnifi cent creatures are said to give birth to their young. Also beneath the waves, there’s great diving and snorkelling to be savoured, with abundant marine life and interesting reefs, volcanic caverns and wrecks to explore. The more mountainous islands are wonderful for
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