Contribution au PIB : Le tourisme sénégalais en deçà du Cap-Vert et de la Gambie
Despite its widely recognized cultural, natural, and geographical potential, Senegal is still struggling to fully capitalize on its tourism industry. According to figures cited by the Director General of the Senegalese Tourism Promotion Agency (ASPT), Dr. Adama Ndiaye, the sector contributes only 7.1% to GDP, a level comparable to that of Morocco, but significantly lower than that of much smaller neighboring countries.
“The Gambia, landlocked within Senegal, derives nearly 20% of its GDP from tourism. As for Cape Verde, it reaches approximately 25%, making the sector one of the pillars of its economy. These performances highlight Senegal’s lag in exploiting its tourist and cultural resources,” he said.
In 2023, Senegal recorded 780,000 tourist arrivals, a figure that experts consider "far below" international market standards. While Africa boasted a tourism growth rate of around 14% before the pandemic, the crisis linked to Ebola and then Covid-19 severely impacted the sector.
For Dr. Ndiaye, the main limitation is not the supply, but the visibility. "Senegal is a dream destination, but it is not visible enough or well-positioned in source markets." Gambia, by comparison, welcomes a volume of tourists each year equivalent to nearly half its population, while Senegal remains far from this ratio, despite better infrastructure, a strategic air hub, and an unparalleled cultural offering.
A recovery underway, but still tentative
During the health crises, the authorities focused on domestic tourism, a strategy that helped maintain some activities. However, the international recovery, which began in 2023, remains insufficient to compete with growing African competition, led by Rwanda, South Africa, and now other countries in the sub-region that are more proactive in tourism promotion. The government's ambition is clear, however, as outlined in the Senegal Horizon 2050 vision, which positions tourism as a driver of growth in seven of the country's eight new economic hubs.
To achieve this repositioning, the government now aims to break down silos between sectors and strengthen synergies. Seynabou Niang, Secretary General of the Ministry of Culture, Crafts, and Tourism, emphasizes this new integrated approach. "Senegal must promote a tourism offering enriched by culture, crafts, gastronomy, and international events. The Dakar trade fair must become an annual showcase for the destination, on par with major African events," she stresses.
For her, the country possesses unique resources, but needs to better articulate them, better communicate them, and better promote them, both domestically and internationally. She adds that "the organization, in December 2027, of the Dakar International Tourism Fair (SITD) illustrates this desire for transformation." The event will bring together several African countries, airlines, tour operators, and artisans. Its ambition is to position Dakar as an African tourism hub, attract new markets, showcase cultural, artisanal, and gastronomic products, develop business tourism (MICE), which is still under-exploited, and promote sports tourism, particularly in the lead-up to the 2026 Youth Olympic Games.
Commentaires (7)
Participer à la Discussion
Règles de la communauté :
💡 Astuce : Utilisez des emojis depuis votre téléphone ou le module emoji ci-dessous. Cliquez sur GIF pour ajouter un GIF animé. Collez un lien X/Twitter ou TikTok pour l'afficher automatiquement.