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| Number 7 | December 2000 | ||||
Contents |
For a sustainable tourism
This July morning, the Palmarin Séssène beach is still wet with yesterday's drizzle. Only the sea breeze, the rustling of filaos, and the gushing waves break the silence of this camp. Bruno, a French tourist, wakes up to savour this isolation. "It is too quiet here!" he says to Mohamed Tine, the young long-limbed giant with his hair done in a rasta. The expression becomes rather positive and reassuring if you believe Mohamed, since Bruno has come to scout around. "The deal is made! He will bring a group of French tourists in September." says a confident Mohamed. "In Senegal, go see 'Ahmed the rasta'" Palmarin, 150 km south of Dakar, does not sell itself through attractive brochures or through travel agents' advertising for special offers. It works by word of mouth. The manager testifies this to each newcomer. An Italian tourist suggested to Bruno: "in Senegal, go see 'Ahmed the rasta', he is at Palmarin". Apart from Italians, there are French, Dutch and Germans who make up most of the clientele. You also have occasional visits from the Japanese and the Americans, who come to see the birds' island, the luxuriant rose garden of Keur Sambaz Dia classified as world heritage by UNESCO - or Saloum islands with their beautiful mangroves. This centre was built by the villagers at the initiative of the "sons of the soil", retired civil servants, twenty years back with the help of the French. With ten huts to begin with, there are about thirty now, all decorated with bird or animal motifs. The management is in the hands of the population. They decide on the choice of investments and activities. "Each area of the village has its representative in the management committee", explains Nicolas Balkoum, president and founder member of the camp. At Palmarin, everybody - men, women and the youth - is involved with its activities. For instance, a group of elders clean the surrounding area every thursday. "The villagers are part of the staff and make sure that the client is satisfied" states Mohamed. Satisfied, yes! But by preserving the dignity of the population, and not prostituting their culture or destroying the social and economic environment. "Robert, a French tourist, was chosen as the godfather of the year in recognition of his support to the youth. He was associated with them and bought them a canoe which gives them work", explains Mohamed. He adds: "the idea worked so well that another one was procured for 300 000 Francs CFA three years ago. This is a way to keep the youth - sons of fisherfolk - who had their eyes fixed on Europe or the United States. Those who do not go out to the sea have formed their musical group Afrique Djembé. Here the farmer with his hen house and his kitchen garden, benefits as much as the fisherman from this camp. The monthly income is estimated at one million Francs CFA during peak season, that is from December to April. Girls from the village are allowed to work! The consequences are visible. All kinds of equipment for the community have been financed by income generated by the camp: water towers, enclosure for the cemetery, expansion of the school and construction of a dispensary that is almost complete now. Supplies of medicines as donations have already arrived. Even an ambulance was gifted by a Swiss tourist. All this takes care of the needs of the people, especially women's who used to be transported, till now, by carts during labour. Since the Palmarin camp is no longer seen as a place of debauchery, girls from the village are allowed to work! The camp is perceived as a real agent of development and a place of exchange that has evolved the mentalities. Nicolas Bakhoum likes to recall the stay of a group of Japanese women who came two years back. "They were hosted by local families, they ate millet couscous with their hands and sat on mats. They liked bissap juice (Guinea sorrel). The day of their departure, we organised a cultural evening and they wore African costumes. They sent us photographs on their return. They were quite positive about their stay". A good publicity for a unique destination where boarding and lodging can go up to 9000 Francs CFA per day per person. Here we are far from mass tourism on the seaside which is developing in Senegal for the past twenty years. This sector - half a million tourists in 1999 with an income of 100 billion Francs CFA - is heavily criticised by the Senegalese press that thrashes it for consequences like prostitution, pimping, etc. It is in this very context that villages like Fimela and Marlodj of the Palmarin locality are trying to create a federation in order to develop "rural integrated tourism" (see box). Of course in spite of the gains, all is not very rosy at Palmarin. Occupancy is 80% from December to April, but almost zero during summer. Some villagers criticize the "opaque management". Apart from this, Palmarin also faces competition from private camps belonging to businessmen. "The State must check the pace of constructions. We must avoid a situation where the logic of the strongest is the best", says Nicolas philosophically who in spite of everything, is very hopeful. * Article published in the daily Walfadjiri (Dakar), August 8th, 2000.
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