Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture The Gambia

21/08/2026

Declaration of Public Holiday

The Office of the President informs the public that His Excellency Adama Barrow, President of the Republic of The Gambia, has declared Wednesday, 26th August 2026 as a public holiday throughout the country in observance of “Maulid Al-Nabi,” the annual commemoration of the birth of Holy Prophet Muhammad, Peace Be Upon Him (PBUH) on the 12th of Rabat- Al Awwal 1448 Hijra which coincides with the 25th August 2026.

The President wishes the Muslim community a graceful festivity.

19/08/2026

14/08/2026

The West Africa Food Festival (WAFFEST) is coming to The Gambia this October from the 15th-21st, 2026. Mark your calendars and be part of this historical event.
Currently, The Gambia is the crowned champion of the Jollof Rice competition category after defeating Nigeria and last year's host, Ghana.

13/08/2026

11/08/2026

On Monday, August 10, 2026, the Kanifing Regional Tailors Association, representing tailors across the Kanifing Municipality, paid a courtesy call on the Honorable Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Abdoulie Jobe, at his office in Banjul.

The delegation extended an invitation to the Ministry to formally co‑host the association’s maiden Gambia Tailors and Craft Summit, scheduled for November 4, 2026, at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara Conference Centre in Bijilo.
The summit will be held under the theme: “Wear Gambia, Grow Gambia – From Craft to Commerce.”

Tailoring, the association emphasized, is a vital cultural creative industry that should be integrated into the national tourism experience.
Among their initiatives is the launch of a “Wear Gambian Every Friday” campaign, designed to encourage citizens, government agencies, and corporate institutions to prioritize locally tailored apparel over imports.
They also proposed partnerships with hotels for staff uniforms and souvenir items, while seeking to connect micro‑tailoring shops with banks, microfinance institutions, and equipment suppliers to facilitate access to industrial machinery.

Minister Jobe welcomed the delegation, thanked them for their initiative, and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for Gambians to showcase their talents and contribute meaningfully to national development.

11/08/2026

07/08/2026

06/08/2026

A two-day validation workshop on the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the West Coast Beaches and Kunta Kinteh Island interventions under the Tourism Diversification and Resilience in The Gambia Project (TDRGP) is currently underway at the Kunta Kinteh Roots Camp in Albreda, North Bank Region.

This validation exercise marks a critical milestone in the collective effort to ensure that the proposed interventions are environmentally sound, socially responsible, and fully aligned with national legislation and World Bank environmental and social standards.

The two interventions under review are of significant national importance. Along the West Coast beaches, the project aims to implement coastal protection measures through beach nourishment and dune restoration to address persistent challenges of coastal erosion and climate change impacts.

On Kunta Kinteh Island—a site of immense historical and cultural value—the project will support shoreline protection works and the construction of a new jetty both on the island and the mainland, thereby improving safe and efficient access.

The validation workshop provided a platform for stakeholders, particularly the Environmental Impact Assessment Technical Working Group and relevant institutions, to critically examine the findings and recommendations of the ESIA reports, ensuring that the interventions are robust, inclusive, and sustainable.