REOI: Establish National Nature-based and Soft Adventure Tourism Trails Network and Strengthening Visitor Experiences at Nature-Based Sites in The Gambia 122 views
Job Overview
Country: The Gambia
Project: Tourism Diversification and Resilience in The Gambia Project (TDRGP)
Project ID No.: IDA-E0530
Reporting to: Project Director
Duration: 12 Months
Introduction
Context
The Government of The Gambia, in collaboration with the World Bank, is implementing the Tourism Diversification and Resilience in The Gambia Project (TDRGP), supported by IDA Investment Project Financing (IPF). The project is being executed over five years and aims to strengthen the competitiveness, inclusiveness, and resilience of The Gambia’s tourism sector through institutional reform, strengthening the enabling environment and capacity, improved market linkages and diversification, MSME support, and sustainable coastal and riverine infrastructure.
Under Component 1: Strengthening Institutional and Policy Frameworks, the TDRGP supports the implementation of The Gambia’s Draft National Tourism Policy & Strategy 2021–2031 (NTPS), which calls for diversification of the tourism product base and markets. The Gambia has an international reputation as a beach-tourism destination and for its winter sun and tropical environment, but it also has underutilized opportunities for river tourism such as birdwatching, ecotourism, and adventure tourism. The Gambia’s tourism sector contributes to about 30 percent of its exports and employs about 12 percent of its workforce. However, the industry is highly seasonal, and the sector was severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused a 66 percent decline in
international arrivals and receipts in 2020. The Gambia needs to revitalize its tourism industry by attracting a more diverse set of visitors and increasing their length of stay and spending. Most important, The Gambia, through its NTPS, aspires to increase its tourist season and reduce reliance on budget-oriented, package tourism from international tour operators (ITOs).
The Gambia boasts a variety of wildlife, prolific birdlife and has large areas designated as National Parks and Protected Areas. However, the country lacks an iconic safari product, consistently high-quality wildlife experiences, and well-developed outdoor recreation, active-adventure trails, and soft adventure activities. Rather than competing with traditional East and Southern African
safari destinations, The Gambia should position safari experiences as part of a broader nature-based offer, capturing demand that is currently leaking to alternatives such as Fathala in Senegal.
This assignment supports The Gambia Tourism Board (GT Board) and partners to develop and package high-quality, well-supported nature-based products and soft adventure experiences. By expanding its range of competitive tourism options, The Gambia tourism sector can strengthen its offer to traditional markets and repeat visitors and unlock demand from new and emerging target market segments, including, for example, ecotourists, outdoor-adventure enthusiasts, and tailored explorers.
Objective of the Assignment
Overall objective
To work in close collaboration with GT Board to design and initiate a national programme that (a) establishes a connected network of curated, thematic nature-based and soft adventure routes that physically or symbolically link a network of attractions, communities, and tourism clusters (“trails”) to attract outdoor-adventure and ecotourism markets, (b) strengthens the visitor experience at selected existing nature-based and soft adventure sites near Banjul and along the River Gambia and (c) improves The Gambia’s birding products and support services – thereby enhancing The Gambia’s competitiveness within the global nature-based tourism and soft adventure and diversifying its product offer and target market segments by establishing direct commercial bridges between inbound and outbound tourism operators.
Specific objectives
To strengthen visitor experiences at priority nature-based sites (e.g., Niumi National Park, River Gambia National Park, and Abuko Nature Reserve) via targeted infrastructure and service upgrades, product enhancements, packaging, and active marketing.
To establish a national network of curated, thematic nature-based and soft adventure trails (i.e., walking/hiking, mountain biking, kayaking/canoeing, SUPping, birding, sport fishing, wildlife viewing, surfing, water-based wind sports, camping), which may include the further development of the Ninki Nanka Trail as a flagship product in collaboration with the EU-funded Youth
Empowerment Project (YEP).
To provide trail information and support systems (maps/GPS coordinates, online briefings, codes of conduct), trail-support facilities (camping areas, community-based accommodation, and catering enterprises).
To package nature-based and soft adventure experiences and establish contractual, market linkages and digital distribution linkages with international tour operators and wholesalers.
To train inbound tour operators, local guides and trail rangers in nature-based and soft adventure tourism and related medical care.
To develop and facilitate implementation of an integrated Birding Sector Development Plan, including, for example, infrastructure for hides/viewing stations, equipment, training & accreditation, quality standards, and funding and operating models.
To mobilise investment and promote enterprise development opportunities through existing distribution networks and GT Board and Gambia Investment & Export Promotion Agency (GIEPA) channels.
Scope of Work and Key Tasks
The firm or individual-led team will work closely with the GT Board, the TDRGP Project Implementation Unit (PIU), GIEPA and other relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) and key partners to undertake the following tasks:
Phase I: Strategy and planning
Task 1: Inception Report, Baseline & Site/Route Selection Framework (Months 1–2)
Purpose: To complete an Inception Report, establish a common approach, confirm priority sites and routes, and define standards.
Task 2: Visitor Experience Assessments & Upgrade, Management and Marketing Plans (Months 2-5 in parallel with Tasks 3 & 4)
Purpose: To plan for strengthening the tourism product and service quality and consistency at selected nature-based and soft adventure tourism sites near Banjul.
Task 3: National Nature-based and Soft Adventure Trails Strategy & Network Management Plan (Months 2-5 in parallel with Tasks 2 & 4)
Purpose: To create an integrated, market-led trails.
Task 4: Birding Sector Development Plan (Months 2-5 in parallel with Tasks 2 & 3)
Purpose: To grow The Gambia’s comparative advantage in birding.
Phase II: Implementation
Task 5: Development Of Pilot Trails With Detailed Designs, Permits & Trail Information Packages (Months 6–9 in parallel with Task 5)
Purpose: To develop and prepare implementation-ready pilots and information for self-guided/supported use.
Task 6: Capacity Building of Guides and Trail Rangers (Months 6–9 in parallel with Task 4)
Purpose: To ensure quality guiding, safety and maintenance.
Task 7: Investment Mobilisation and Partnerships (Months 9-12 in parallel with Task 8)
Purpose: To secure investment, resources, and partners for implementation.
Task 8: Marketing, Trade Packaging and Launch Support (Months 9–12 in parallel with Task 7)
Purpose: To drive awareness and bookings through established marketing and promotional channels
Task 9: Handover, Monitoring and Evaluation (Months 11–12)
Purpose: To ensure continuity and performance tracking.
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The firm will be selected in accordance with guidelines for the recruitment of Consultant Qualification Selection (CQS) Method set out in the Procurement Regulations; World Bank Procurement Regulations (PR) for IPF Borrowers, Seventh edition dated September 2025.
Potential applicants may obtain further information at the address below during office hours 0800hrs to 1600hrs from Monday to Thursday and Friday 0800hrs to 12:30hrs and to review the Terms of Reference via email from HYPERLINK “mailto:bkujabi@piumotc.gm“bkujabi@piumotc.gm.
Expressions of interest must be delivered to the address below (in person, or by mail) by
Thursday 2nd July 2026 at 16:00pm Gambian Time.
Attn: Mr. Momodou Ceesay
Project Director
Project Implementation Unit
Plot No. 49 Kotu East Estate
Off Bertil Harding Highway
Tel: 220 9825949 /3971747
E-mail: HYPERLINK “mailto:mceesay@piumotc.gm” \o “mceesay@piumotc.gm” mceesay@piumotc.gm;
CC: HYPERLINK “mailto:njayacsr@gmail.com”njayacsr@gmail.com HYPERLINK “mailto:bkujabi@piumotc.gm”bkujabi@piumotc.gm HYPERLINK “mailto:kjagne@piumotc.gm”kjagne@piumotc.gm
