The Sierra Leone – Gullah Geechee Connection – Deepening the Connection: A tourist satisfaction study

Abstract

Sierra Leone is one of several countries along the Rice Coast of West Africa. Gullah Geechee people live in the coastal region of the United States from Pender County, North Carolina to St. Johns County, Florida. The essential tie between Sierra Leoneans and Gullah Geechee people is rice. The purpose of the article is to present information that assess satisfaction, perceptions, preferences and characteristics of a tour of Gullah Geechee people to Sierra Leone. The study data enabled the analysis and identification of tourist satisfaction, as well as provided understanding of potential trip improvements. Implications from the study bring Sierra Leone into the fold of heritage tours as seen in Ghana and Senegal, people discovering their roots, enabling social investments in developing nations and can be of service to the Government of Sierra Leone.