Until now, Guinea-Bissau has been primarily preoccupied with its own affairs. Now, rumours are spreading that the course will be set for the country to open up as early as 2026. The tourism of this African country is not bringing big effects of the GDP, but this could change soon. The destination have a huge potential of being a tourism hot spot in West Africa…
The country once belonged to the West African Kingdom of Kaabu and the Mali Empire. The territory of present-day Guinea-Bissau became a colony of Portugal in the 16th century. In 1973/1974, Guinea-Bissau broke away from Portugal. The official language is still Portuguese. However, not everyone in the country speaks the language of the former colonial rulers. Creole seems to be widely spoken, and various African languages are understood and spoken throughout the country. French is also heard occasionally. Some of the younger, internet-savvy residents are eager to learn and speak English.
Free and independent – has this improved the situation of the population of Guinea-Bissau?
It actually took a while… Independence from Portugal did not immediately lead to the country opening up to international trade and tourism. What is a blessing for Guinea-Bissau’s natural beauty is the lack of plundering of raw materials and, above all, forests.
While large parts of the forests and raw materials have been destroyed in neighbouring countries such as Gambia and Senegal, the traditional way of life of large parts of the indigenous population throughout the country has created an oasis of nature.
Various local skirmishes and problems between different ethnic groups have ensured that Guinea-Bissau’s natural environment has suffered relatively little damage.
The archipelago and the 320 km long coastline of West Africa are unique, but not all of the islands are inhabited. They are left to nature and wildlife, which will benefit the population of the entire country in the long term. Here, the population and government are committed to sustainability and the preservation of flora and fauna for the future of the travel industry.
Guinea-Bissau’s trump card: the 88 islands of the Bijagos Archipelago
Una gran variedad de tribus han convivido en este archipiélago durante muchos siglos y antaño tuvieron diversas disputas y conflictos. El comercio de esclavos también estaba en manos de los guerreros que vivían en las islas. Vendían los esclavos a los portugueses y, a cambio, éstos los dejaban en gran parte en paz. Afortunadamente, eso fue hace mucho tiempo.
Today, the people of Guinea-Bissau are considered somewhat shy, but friendly and open to travellers. Word has also spread among the population of this African country that the future lies in the promising tourism industry. Contrary to some outdated press reports, travellers can feel safe and move around freely in the capital Bissau. Unlike in tourist areas in Gambia or Senegal, in Guinea-Bissau you won’t be asked ‘Friend, taxi?’ every three minutes.
El turismo podría convertirse en la fuente de ingresos más importante del país, por lo que se están haciendo grandes esfuerzos para promover la industria turística y atraer a inversores internacionales al país. El gobierno hará todo lo posible para que el desarrollo económico sea positivo.
Puntos fuertes
... de Guinea Bissau son impresionantes, más información a continuación. Algunos datos clave sobre algunas de las islas: Formosa tiene unos impresionantes 141 km², Canhabaque 111 km² y Bolama algo menos de 99 km², por mencionar sólo algunos de los oasis atlánticos. Sólo unos cientos de indígenas viven en algunas de las islas, y 6.100 en Bolama. La isla, reserva de la biosfera reconocida, está rodeada casi por completo de manglares y es conocida por sus excelentes anacardos.
¿Qué hace de Guinea-Bissau un destino especialmente interesante en África desde el punto de vista del sector turístico y de los viajeros de todo el mundo?
Diversidad cultural:
Guinea-Bissau es un crisol de etnias con tradiciones culturales, lenguas y costumbres diferentes. Los principales grupos étnicos son los balanta, los fula, los manjako, los mandinka y los papel.
Biodiversidad:
El país alberga una rica biodiversidad en sus ecosistemas, como manglares, sabanas y selvas tropicales. Esto hace de Guinea-Bissau un lugar interesante para los amantes de la naturaleza y los investigadores.
Archipiélago de los Bijagós:
Las islas Bijagós, frente a la costa de Guinea-Bissau, forman un ecosistema único con una rica fauna, que incluye especies raras de aves y tortugas marinas. El archipiélago está protegido como reserva de la biosfera por la UNESCO.
Influencia portuguesa:
Como antigua colonia portuguesa, Guinea-Bissau aún refleja influencias portuguesas en su cultura, lengua y arquitectura. La lengua oficial es el portugués. Muchos habitantes están familiarizados tanto con las influencias tradicionales africanas como con las portuguesas.
Los desafíos políticos ... son cosa del pasado:
Guinea-Bissau has had an eventful political history marked by political instability and coup attempts. These challenges have influenced the country’s development and make it politically unique.
Chances for investors in the tourism
Guinea-Bissau will be fully open to ecotourism by 2030. This could present an excellent opportunity for international hotel chains to turn one of the 88 islands into an eco- or luxury travel icon in Africa, for example.
It is important to the government that the plans are sustainable in order to preserve Africa’s former biodiversity for future generations. Not all the key points of the opening plans are clear yet, but it seems that a country with a unique natural landscape is opening its doors to Europeans and presenting its beauty to the world as a gem among long-distance travellers.
La seguridad ante todo
Guinea-Bissau will launch a broad awareness campaign for the population, police and authorities. English lessons for everyone working in the travel industry will be an important part of the communication.
Conclusión:
If Guinea-Bissau does indeed open its doors to travellers from Europe very soon, this exciting country with its 88 islands will shake up the entire African tourism market.
We are eagerly awaiting further developments and will keep you up to date with the latest rumours and report back as soon as possible.
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