With a total population of 2.64 million people, Gambia enjoys relatively untouched beaches. On the flip side, these beaches birthed the infamous Gambia bumsters known for exploiting lonely elderly white women. The Gambia is a perfect example of the famous saying “don’t judge a book by its cover”. While it is West Africa’s smallest country, it has a tall tale of duping lonely grannies from Europe. And all this in the name of love and pleasure. In the end, it’s a sad tale of lost money and dignity. For some, though, the ending is great and pleasurable.
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What Does Gambia Bumsters Mean?
Gambia bumsters is a slang term referring to harmless, unemployed young Gambian men who work as beach boy. Here, a ‘bumster’ is a beach boy living off white female tourists visiting this West African nation. These beach boys have an enviable, yet intimidating, physique, with popping abs as a result of innate working out. Their well-toned bodies are a big attraction, and they use them to lure oblivious female travellers holidaying in this tiny West African country.
A European woman with a Gambian man. Photo by The Times
‘Bumster’ is a term coined from ‘bum’, a euphemistic English word referring to the posterior. However, the Gambian logic is that bumsters tend to beg, which is what the young men gracefully do with an offer for pleasure in return for money. Surprisingly, there are older men in this group who are smooth operators and more lethal than young men. A good number of them either dropped out of school or failed to proceed to the next level for different reasons. They have tiring, low-income menial jobs which they don’t love at all. Thus, ‘hunting’ for lonely white women along the beach pays 100 times better than working in those elusive odd jobs.
Why is Gambia Popular With Tourists?
Forget about Gambia bumsters. This country has pristine beaches with affordable beach resorts, hotels and lodges. Coupled with the fact that Gambians are generally friendly and hospitable people, this country is the place to be. Her beaches are not crowded like in other parts of Africa, and they are secure. The wildlife and national parks of Gambia are the country’s main draws. The Gambia offers a wide variety of safari destinations. It’s also a haven for birdwatchers with over 500 different bird species. The pearl-white long beaches birthed elegant and affordable hotels fit for every traveller.
What is Gambia Known For?
Gambia Tourism problems. Photo by Imgur
In all honesty, Gambia bumsters make this country popular. It all started when British travel agents offered budget-friendly package vacations in this little West African nation. They don’t mind being tame to white grannies; they look at how much they will earn by making them happy in any way they want. It is difficult to go along the beach as a visitor from Europe without getting a ‘marriage proposal’.
The ‘Can I marry you’ comes with showers of compliments and the true Gambian experience in bed. The Smiling Coast still has a sinister aspect, even though it is a fun ego boost for many people. Sadly, the bumsters with ripped, chisel-shaped abs are also smart. They milk these women dry without a second thought. This now adds to Gambia’s tourism problems. Hundreds of heartbroken Britons contacted Gambian lawyer Lamin Ceesay of Solie Law Chambers in 2021. They sought guidance after their age-gap relationships ended in tragedy and financial devastation.
In an interview with The Sun, he decried that the bumsters are everywhere, causing a lot of disturbance to our tourism economy. He explains that these young men have motives to get a connection to fly to the UK, but when it’s not viable, they fleece these women. Now, the Gambian government is sick of British middle-aged ladies on pleasure tourism after hosting thousands of them for over 30 years. Gambia is trying to shed its image as a coitus tourism hotspot by targeting what it calls “quality” tourists.
A Gambian man with a white woman. Photo/Str8talk magazine
A high prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS, drought, deforestation, and disease outbreaks such as malaria, typhoid fever, and hepatitis A are a big challenge. Deforestation has largely contributed to decreased agricultural production and water scarcity.
Is Gambia Safe For Single Woman?
Despite Gambia bumster tales, this country is safe for single women. Bumsterism operates on mutual consent, and these men are friendly. Besides, you can still enjoy the Gambian holiday without falling prey to this social ill. There are professional beach boys who will show you around without going the extra mile like their peers to obtain money. They are content with what you pay them for their professional services and nothing more. There are no major incidents reported about bumsters apart from a few cases where they milk dry old white women holidaying here.
Conclusion
Gambia is a wonderful holiday destination in West Africa. Its small population offers unrivalled serenity, cultural experience and a firsthand experience with bumpster.
