Sierra Leone: How Tourism is Creating Jobs and Attracting Investment

A World Bank-supported project is transforming Sierra Leone’s beaches, chimpanzee sanctuaries, and mountain viewpoints into engines of jobs and growth. The Sierra Leone Economic Diversification Project (SLEDP), launched in 2020, has improved infrastructure and investment in tourism, creating opportunities for guides, artisans, restaurateurs, and guesthouse owners. The sector already contributed about 5% of GDP and supported around 53,000 jobs, with significant potential for large-scale employment. Key sites include Bureh Beach, Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, and Leicester Peak, with infrastructure upgrades to attract more visitors.