INTEGRATING LOCAL SMEs INTHE TOURISM INDUSTRY IN CABO VERDE,SÃO TOMÉ AND PRÍNCIPE,AND THE GAMBIAPublic Disclosure Authorized © 2025International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank1818 H Street NWWashington DC 20433Telephone: 202-473-1000Internet:www.worldbank.org This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings,interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of TheWorld Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or currency of the data included inthis work and does not assume responsibility for any errors, omissions, or discrepancies in theinformation, or liability with respect to the use of or failure to use the information, methods, processes,or conclusions set forth. The boundaries, colors, denominations, links/footnotes and other informationshown in this work do not imply any judgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legalstatus of any territory or the endorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. The citation of worksauthored by others does not mean the World Bank endorses the views expressed by those authorsor the content of their works. Nothing herein shall constitute or be construed or considered to be a limitation upon or waiver of theprivileges and immunities of The World Bank, all of which are specifically reserved. Rights and Permissions The material in this work is subject to copyright. Because The World Bank encourages disseminationof its knowledge, this work may be reproduced, in whole or in part, fornon-commercialpurposes aslong as full attribution to this work is given. Any queries on rights and licenses, including subsidiary rights, should be addressed to World BankPublications, The World Bank Group, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA; fax: 202-522-2625; e-mail:pubrights@worldbank.org. Photography: © Louise Twining-Ward / World Bank. Further permission required for reuse. Table List List ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ACRONYMS Executive Summary Executive Summary • • • Introduction Introduction Section1 TourismSMElandscapeand Accessto Financein CaboVerde, São Toméand Príncipe,and The Gambia • • • • • • • • • Section2 Commonalitiesand Differencesin Accessto FinanceineachCountry 2.1The tourism value chain • • 2.2Access to finance 2.2.1Factors on the demand side 2.2.2Factors on the supply side 2.3Gender and access to finance • • • 2.4Circular economy and sustainability • • • Section3 Addressing SME Access to Finance Section4 Tourism Gap Analysis and Market Sizing 4.1Key lessons learned 4.2Recommendations References Abe, M. (2016). SME participation in global value chains: Challenges and opportunities. IntegratingSMEs into Global Value Chains, 27. Al-Rawashdeh, O. M.,Jawabreh, O., & Ali, B. J. (2023). Supply Chain Management and OrganizationalPerformance: The Moderating Effect of Supply Chain Complexity. Information Sciences Letters, 12(3),1673-1684. Andriotis, K., Scale of hospitality firms and local economic development—evidence from Crete,TourismManagement,Volume23,Issue4,2002,Pages333-341,ISSN0261-5177,https://doi.org/10.1016/S0261-5177(01)00094-2.(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261517701000942) Banco Central São Tomé and Príncipe (BCSTP). 2021. Estrategia nacional de inclusão financeira 2021-2025 Berhanu, K., & Raj, S. (2020). The trustworthiness of travel and tourism information sources of socialmedia: perspectives of international tourists visiting Ethiopia. Heliyon, 6(3). Buildingacirculareconomyfromthegroundup:TheGambia.(2022).CircularOnline.https://www.circularonline.co.uk/features/building-a-circular-economy-from-the-ground-up-the-gambia/ Central Bank of Ghana, Annual Report 2021, 2022, https://www.cbg.gm/annual-reports Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe: Third Review Under the Extended Credit FacilityArrangement and Financing Assurances Review-Press Release; Staff Report; and Statement by theExecutiveDirector.(2021).IMF.https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/CR/Issues/2021/09/07/Democratic-Republic-of-So-Tom-and-Prncipe-Third-Review-Under-the-Extended-Credit-Facility-465335 Dias, Paulino (PD Consult), Improving support for MSMEs in the Tourism Sector in Cabo Verde(report), World Bank, 2022. Dias, Paulino (PD Consult), Improving support for MSMEs in the Tourism Sector in São Tomé andPrincipe (report), World Bank, 2022. Dias, Paulino (PD Consult), Improving support for MSMEs in the Tourism Sector in The Gambia(report), World Bank, 2022. Fong, V., Hong, J. and Wong, I. The evolution of triadic relationships in a tourism supply chain throughcoopetition,TourismManagement,Volume84,2021,104274,ISSN0261-5177,https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2020.104274.(https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0261517720302004) Gassama, S., Islamization of Micro-Finance in Gambia, Journal of F