2023 Freetown DAT Report - Flipbook - Page 36
Freetown DAT
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Within this area, a simple but important step is to reduce
the friction or impediments to walking on the sections of
Wallace Johnson and Lightfoot Boston Streets shown
on the downtown investments map. While it would not
be practical to do this work everywhere, on these two
streets in the heart of downtown, barriers to prevent
parking on the sidewalks and filling in gaps in the
sidewalks and storm sewers would make walking easier
and attract more walking and economic activities. In
the long run, this would make access to the cable car
station, ferry, and future hotels much easier.
Connecting Residents & Visitors to
Freetown’s Heritage
Freetown, including the areas in and near downtown, has
a rich history and heritage. Celebrating this heritage can
help build Freetown’s sense of place, educate students,
be a source of pride for residents, and be a powerful
draw for visitors, especially African Diaspora visitors.
Freetown can significantly increase its share of the
African and Sierra Leonean Diaspora market, as well
as other tourists. The Diaspora market is especially
appealing because it can require less tourism
infrastructure than more traditional Western-centric and
neo-colonial markets and sometimes attracts repeat
visitors. Freetown already attracts some of the Diaspora
market, but far less than its potential.
Within Africa, Ghana has been especially successful
at investing in and attracting Diaspora visitors. Those
visitors have shared their motivations as their sense
of pride and learning, exploring spiritualty at Diaspora
events, seeking connectedness, and seeking memorable
experiences (Source: Otoo, Felix & Kim, Seongseop
& King, Brian. 2021. “African Diaspora tourism - How
motivations shape experiences.” Journal of Destination
Marketing & Management). All of those are experiences
that downtown Freetown could offer.
By attracting more commercial and civic life to downtown, the cable car system could build Diaspora and other tourist traffic and drive demand for new hotels. Hotels in turn will drive
traffic for the cable car, an expanded ferry operation, restaurants, museums, and other experiences.
