Perreh Bi Fest lifts beachfront tourism and SMEs in The Gambia
A new beachfront cultural festival – Perreh Bi Fest – has turned The Gambia’s coastline into a hub for performances, sport and enterprise, creating a fresh draw for domestic tourism. Running monthly from November 2025 to January 2026, the event showcased live music, traditional wrestling, volleyball, art exhibitions and a vendor marketplace, and formed part of the International Trade Centre’s EU‑funded Youth Empowerment Project – Tourism and Creative Industries, delivered with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.
Organisers said the fest gave small businesses valuable exposure and income, with traders selling pressed juices, fashion, crafts and food, while promoting eco‑friendly practices. With tourism accounting for about 20% of GDP and nearly one in five jobs – and creative industries estimated to deliver up to 50,000 jobs by 2026 – the programme strengthens cultural storytelling, skills training and heritage development to broaden The Gambia’s visitor appeal and support youth employment.
Source: International Trade Centre