A team of foreign writers and journalists from different media houses, led by David DiGregorio, Managing Director, Corner Sun Destination Marketing LLC, New York City has submitted positive reviews on Sierra Leone’s tourism during their familiarisation trip.

Mohamed Jalloh, Director of Tourism, on 2 March 2023, served as chairman and welcomed guests from their unforgettable trip around the country.

In her statement, Fatmata Mida Carew, the General Manager National Tourist Board, said, “A FAM trip is a huge investment of time, money, and personnel. Make sure that you’re giving it your all, and you should see results that match that undertaken in several tourists’ arrival.”

She added that Sierra Leone’s Economic Diversification support towards tourism is a laudable venture, and creates balance with a competitive edge, adding that Sierra Leone’s Tourism leadership is relentlessly working to increase the tourist arrivals from its key tourist-generating regions, from the newly identified hubs in Canada, America and as well the existing ones respectively.

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These were some of the reviews but also recommendations submitted, especially on paying attention to the little things that bring more value to the destination that will surely attract the right tourists with a sustainable mindset.

Dr. Memunatu B. Pratt, the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs talked about her endeavor to make the sector very attractive since her inception as Minister.

She noted that from site modification, curriculum formulation, capacity building, new tourism sites identified, product development, penetrating new tourism markets, tourism study tours, service enhancements, and many more of which the ministry will work hard to achieve.

She said that an effective destination marketing plan can not only inspire someone to book a trip, but it can also change the perceptions of an entire nation, people, and culture and generates numbers with interest to invest in the hearts and minds of the consumer.

She concluded that this power must be wielded carefully with a smart approach. “This means starting with an analysis of what the long-term goals of the destination/Sierra Leone are and working backward to identify only the very specific marketing activities that will help to achieve these goals,” she noted.

The team, David DiGregorio said that the team will proceed to major tourism sites to obtain first-hand information for their future publications, with feature articles and much more content that will catch the attention of Americans and Canadian interests in Sierra Leone.

The team of seasoned journalists and travel writers from CNN, National Geography, top travel magazines producers in America and Canada, with high-end tour operators, gave their amazing and undiluted reviews from the Familiarization trip, and started the following key points:

‘’Our stories and headlines will change to signal the beauty of this country. We will say it aloud that Sierra Leone is safe, sound, and peaceful.

The fear of traveling to Sierra Leone will drastically reduce, based on our good findings.

What we used to see and heard upon arrival, is quite different. This will change, too.

Sierra Leone is the next destination in West Africa; I will say it without hesitation.

This country is endowed with immense tourism potential.

Your people are just amazing and welcoming.

Your foods, especially seafood, are just appetizing.

This experience will be shared.

 Numbers will speak the rest.’’