GAMBIA: Gambia Tourism Board Reminds All Proprietors To Regularise Their Operational Licenses.

The Gambia Tourism Board (GTBoard) reminds all proprietors and businesses in the Hotel, Night Club, Bars and Restaurant and all other businesses operating within the Tourism Development Area (TDA) to come forward and regularise their Operational Licenses. The Businesses are further reminded that their continued operation without payment for such license is in contravention of the GTBoard Act 2011 Part VII Section 32 and 33 (1) & (2) which is reproduced below.

“The GTBoard Act 2011 Part VII – Licensing

Section 32

“32. (1) Subject to sub-section (2), a person shall not operate premises as

(a) A hotel

(b) A night club

(c) A casino; or

(d) A restaurant,

Except with, and in accordance with a license granted by the Board

(2) The Board may publish a notice exempting any premises or any class of premises from the requirements of sub-section (1).

Failure to regularise your Operational Licenses with the Board shall result in the Board invoking Section 48 of the GTBoard Act which is stated as below.

48. “A person who contravenes any of the provision of this Act commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding fifty thousand dalasis.

Please note the below definitions as per the GTBoard Act, 2011 and Regulations.

Hotel

“Hotel” includes a guest house, rest house, tourist village, flat-hotel, inn, lodging house or premises used for

the reception of guests or travelers but excludes the premises listed in the First Schedule of this Act.

Restaurant

“Restaurant” means premises in which the business of selling food or beverages to the public is carried on;

Nightclub

“Nightclub” means premises open for business at night and having a bar and disco or other entertainment.

Tourist Enterprises and Tourist Guide

“Tourist enterprises” means the enterprises listed in the Second Schedule to this Act; and

“Tourist guide” means a person who is employed to educate tourist about the geography, history, cultures and life of different communities in The Gambia

SECOND SCHEDULE (Section 2)

TOURIST ENTERPRISES

Enterprises (whether carried on alone or in conjunction with some other enterprise) connected with the tourism industry in The Gambia (other than the excepted enterprises), and falling within one or more of the following classes-

1. Proprietors and drivers of passenger vehicles used wholly or partly in a tourist enterprise.

2. Ground tour operators.

3. Ground handling agents.

4. Dyer.

5. Wood carver.

6. Motor vehicles hire enterprises offering tour transport facilities, whether self-driven or chauffeur-driven.

7. Proprietors of tented camps catering for tourists.

8. Chartered Airlines based in The Gambia which accept tourist as aircraft passengers on flight, whether publicly or privately owned.

9. Persons letting out vessels for tourists, whether manned or not.

10. Shopkeepers, stallholders and stand holders and any other person offering for sale to tourist as a substantial part of their business, goods made by hand from indigenous raw materials, and manufacturers of those goods.

11. Proprietors of enterprises offering camps and camping equipment for hire.

12. Proprietors of-

a) airport enterprises;

b) water sport enterprise;

c) horse and camel riding enterprises; and

d) Such other enterprises as may be prescribed by the Board”.