Leading travel and lifestyle PR and marketing consultancy Hills Balfour has started working together with Gambia Tourism Board to manage its PR in the UK with additional marketing support.

The consultancy’s core PR objectives are to increase visitation to the country specifically during the summer season and to promote the destination’s proximity to and direct access from Europe.

Located on the West Coast of Africa, The Gambia is only a six hour direct flight away from the UK and is within the same time zone, making it an attractive alternative to destinations such as southern Europe, the Canary Islands, Cape Verde and Northern Africa.

The country’s magnificent coastline rivals many of its competitors - stretching over 80km the coast is famous for its variety of beach resorts and vibrant fishing villages which tempt sun seekers every year.

Despite being the smallest country within mainland Africa, The Gambia is more than just a beach destination, the River Gambia has historically attracted visitors to its magnificent estuary and meandering waterways.

Today, the river is the natural habitat to hippos and over 500 species of birds.

River cruises are one of the most effective ways of exploring the country and offer visitors the chance to observe wildlife, explore the mangroves and visit river villages.

Jammeh, chairman, Gambia Tourism Board, commented: “We chose to work with Hills Balfour because of its leading expertise in the travel and tourism industry as well as its demonstrated ability to have an integral impact on visitation numbers to its variety of destinations.

“We believe that this partnership will help The Gambia go from strength to strength in the UK market.”