About Us
Destination Janjanbureh -
Local knowledge, Living Culture, Responsible Tourism.
We are Janjanbureh Tour GuidesAssociation, coloquily know as Destination Janjanbureh being the public face of a long community journey in guiding, cultural exchange, and sustainable tourism.
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Rooted in community. Shaped by culture. Shared with care.
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Destination Janjanbureh reflects a long community journey in guiding, cultural exchange, and sustainable tourism.Long before Community-Based Tourism (CBT) became a formal programme, local guides and community groups in Janjanbureh were already welcoming visitors and sharing everyday life, history, and culture.
Early training and learning partnerships helped strengthen this local guiding culture
and later led to the formation of
Janjanbureh Uniting Sustainable Tourism and Community Training (JUST ACT NYC).​
​​From the start, the focus has been on sustainability and community benefit.
This strong foundation allowed formal CBT training to take root from 2017 onwards, supported through European-funded programmes and the new
Janjanbureh Tour Guides Association /Destination Janjanbureh was founded​
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Today, CBT in Janjanbureh is not a single product but a living system. Visitors engage through locally led cultural walks, village-designed experiences, and nature-based activities shaped by community initiative and shared learning.
Training remains central. Recent programmes in 2025, supported by the International Trade Centre continue to strengthen skills in guiding, hospitality, small business, and visitor experience.
This renewed website is one of the first visible outcomes of that work.
Our Teams
In early April 2026 a new management team was democratically elected
As part of this new stage, we are beginning to introduce the people behind
Destination Janjanbureh.
Our team brings together experienced guides, newly trained members,
and individuals contributing in different roles within the association.
This section will grow over time as roles become more clearly defined and as more members share their profiles.
The Management Team
President
Adama Touray
Vice President
Musa Foon
Secretary General
Alhagie Jawara
Treasurer
Basiru Sambou
Auditor
Muhammed Jawneh
Public Relations Officer
Mariama Sambou
The Tour Guides and Kayaking Guides
Background: how this work developed
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Community-led tourism in Janjanbureh developed over many years through a combination of local initiative, early skills training, and partnerships focused on sustainability and cultural heritage.​
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Early training programmes supported young people to develop guiding skills grounded in local history, culture, and the natural environment. These efforts helped strengthen a locally rooted approach to tourism
and led to the formation of
Janjanbureh Uniting Sustainable Tourism
And Community Training
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(JUST ACT NYC), a National Youth Council–registered organisation focused on community benefit, skills development, and responsible tourism.
As local capacity grew, Janjanbureh gained recognition as an emerging inland destination, providing an alternative to coastal tourism in The Gambia. From 2017 onwards, formal Community-Based Tourism (CBT) training was introduced to Just Act guides, supported through national and international programmes and delivered in partnership with Gambian training institutions.
CBT development built on existing skills and confidence, enabling communities to design and host experiences rooted in everyday life — including cultural walks, village-based activities, and nature-led experiences such as kayaking and hiking. Parallel cultural initiatives, including the revival of the International Kankurang Festival, further strengthened local identity and visitor engagement.
Over time, these developments contributed to the formal registration of the Janjanbureh Tour Guides Association, now widely known as Destination Janjanbureh, bringing together guiding, training, and community-based tourism under a shared local structure.
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Personal reflections and detailed histories from this journey can be found in our Stories & Voices section.