Its fine sandy beaches, lush forests and mangroves have made Casamance, the southern part of Senegal, one of the most attractive in the country for travelers. Since last March, however, tourists have left after the Covid-19 pandemic and the successive border closures.
Surrounded by palm groves and postcard beaches, the seaside resort of Cap Skirring in the south-east is no exception. After the arrival of the Club Méditerranée in 1973, this former fishing village was built entirely around tourist activities, on which almost all direct or indirect jobs depend. After an empty season in 2020, Cape Town residents are desperate to see visitors return at a time when Senegal is keeping its borders closed as a goal of reciprocity with the European Union, and France in particular, the region’s largest provider of holidaymakers. Hotel owners, restaurateurs, but also guides or craftsmen: for many, another season without travelers can be synonymous with bankruptcy.
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