TOURISM

Senegal offers major investment opportunities in tourism thanks to its ideal geographical location, a long tradition of hospitality, the multiplicity of under-developed sites and generous incentives.

 

ADVANTAGES OF DESTINATION SENEGAL

  • Dakar is a world hub and gateway to the wider subregion
  • 5-hours away from Europe, a major market
  • Cultural hub of the black world (IFAN Dakar, Fesman)
  • International Festivals (St Louis Jazz, Dakar Biennale Arts Festival)
  • Many World Heritage Sites: Goree, Djoudj Bird Sanctuary
  • Long tradition of openness and hospitality
  • Low prevalence of HIV / AIDS (0.7%)
  • Political Stability
  • One of the sunniest countries in the world
  • Many sites of exceptional beauty (Grande Côte, Casamance, Petite Côte ..)

 

OUR TOURISM POTENTIAL

There are 4 main tourism products, but the lion’s share goes to seaside tourism (54%) and business tourism (33%).

Seaside tourism

  • 700 km of coastline
  • 3000 hours of sunshine annually
  • Superb beaches
  • A dozen Tour Operators
  • Multiples activities: golf, tennis, fitness
  • Shopping with prestigious brands

Business Tourism

  • Political stability and diplomatic dynamism
  • Hosts many international and subregional corporate events
  • World Class conference rooms
  • Strong presence of luxury business hotels: Pullman, Meridien, Novotel, Radisson SAS, Terrou Bi
  • International Centre for Foreign Trade with 29,000 sqm of exhibition space

Nature Tourism

  • Variety of landscapes: beaches, mangroves, rivers
  • Wealth of biodiversity
  • 6 national parks
  • 4 nature reserves
  • Wilderness: The Pink Lake, Dindifélo Falls, Bassari land
  • Safari activities
  • Fishing, bird watching, hunting

Cultural Tourism

  • Strong cultural activity (World Festival of Negro Arts 2010)
  • Music and performing arts (drama, dance)
  • Historic Heritage: colonial capital St. Louis, Goree (Slave) Island, Art nouveau civic monuments in Dakar enclaves of French architecture from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries
  • Geological and prehistoric sites
  • Wealth of traditions: traditional games and sports such as Laamb (wrestling) and traditional rituals such as Sabar (dance drumming)
  • Vibrant arts scene: painting, sculpture, crafts, design

 

INVESTOR SUPPORT

  1. Senegal’s investment incentive regime
    A framework conducive to the development of investment in tourism has been developed by improving the business environment and incentives through tax, customs and regulatory provisions.

Basic guarantees

  • Protection against nationalization
  • Stable currency (pegged to EUR)
  • Free repatriation of profits and funds
  • Equal treatment between nationals and foreigners
  • Access to raw materials
  • Customs and tax incentives
  • 3-year exemptions for customs duties on imported production equipment
  • 3 years VAT-free import of production equipment
  • 3 years VAT-free purchase of local products and services
  • Tax credit of 40% over 5 years (up to 50% of annual profits)

Non-fiscal incentives

  • Single Tax Payment scheme
  • Renewable 5 year contracts
  1. Tourism development sites
    Developing new areas is a response to the ever-increasing demand from developers and the need to diversify products. Each of these sites has a positioning target, a specific identity, which allows to market as an original destination of Senegal.

Small Coast

  • Mbodiène: wide beach and dunes protecting a rich lagoon of 300 ha (740 acres)
  • Pointe Sarene: quality landscape with a pointed beach of 75 ha (185 acres)
  • Joal Finio: island of 15 ha (37 acres)

North Zone

  • Saint Louis, island city, established 1659, historic site of 72 ha (177 acres)
  • Potou sea: miles of sand, reconstituted casuarina tree barrier, 200 ha (500 acres)
  • Djouj Bird Sanctuary: 3rd in the world, accommodation to be developped. 16,000 hectares (40,000 acres)

The Saloum Delta Islands

  • Fatick: 70 ha overlooking a river and salt fields (173 acres)
  • Kaolack: 15 ha in the former Port of Kaolack (40 acres)
  • Ndolette: 40 ha of Saloum River Delta (100 acres)
  • Foundiougne: the Saloum River, 40 ha (100 acres)
  • Sandicoly: gentle sloping to the river, 30 ha (75 acres)
  • Missirah: 30 ha (75 acres)
  • Simal: 25 ha (62 acres)
  1. Major infrastructure investment

The national airline, Senegal Airlines