Saly (also called Sali or Saly Portudal) is a seaside resort area in Thiès Region on the

Petite Côte The Petite Côte is a stretch of coast in Senegal, running south from the Cap-Vert peninsula to the Saloum Delta, near the border with the Gambia. The northern section near Dakar contains seaside resorts such as Saly Portudal, Rufisque, Nianing a ...

of Senegal, south of Dakar. It is the top tourist destination in all of West Africa and has the status of a commune.

History

Saly was originally a Portuguese trading post known as ''Porto de Ale'', which became ''Portudal'', and later ''Sali Portudal''. On February 24, 1984, the resort was created on a previously unoccupied tract of land near the former trading post. It was about this time that tourism began to take off in Senegal.

Administration

Adansonia digitata in Saly, Senegal 2007

Saly is part of M'bour, Thiès.

Flora

The resort is located on a sandy beach lined with

coconut The coconut tree (''Cocos nucifera'') is a member of the palm tree family ( Arecaceae) and the only living species of the genus ''Cocos''. The term "coconut" (or the archaic "cocoanut") can refer to the whole coconut palm, the seed, or the ...

palm trees.

Population

The population is difficult to quantify because of the constant stream of tourists in and out of the area as well as the number of temporary residents. It has been suggested that an average of 20,000 people live in the area at any given time. The resident population was counted at 29,945 in the 2013 census.

Economy

Saly's economy relies almost entirely on tourism. Hotel complexes, nightclubs, bars, restaurants, shops, water sports, real estate agencies all compete for the business of wealthy visitors from other countries. Seminars and symposiums are often held in Saly.

Social problems

The rapid development of mass tourism in a relatively poor country has had some negative consequences, such as petty crime,

prostitution Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in Sex work, sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, n ...

, pedophilia, and the spread of

AIDS Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a retrovirus. Following initial infection an individual m ...

and other sexually transmitted diseases. For a long time, these social problems were not discussed publicly so that the resort's reputation would not be tarnished. An observatory for the protection of children against abuse and sexual exploitation called ''Avenir de l'Enfant'' (The Child's Future) was created in M'bour by a Senegalese non-governmental organization in 2002. In 2003, M6, a French television channel, broadcast a report focusing on Saly as part of the show ''Ça me révolte'', meaning "That Disgusts Me". The show had hitherto focussed mainly on

sex tourism Sex tourism refers to the practice of traveling to foreign countries, often on a different continent, with the intention of engaging in sexual activity or relationships in exchange for money or lifestyle support. This practice predominantly oper ...

in Asia.

Education

The

Lycée Français Jacques Prévert Lycée Français Jacques Prévert is a French international school in Saly, Senegal Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Sen ...

, a French international school, is in Saly.

References

Bibliography

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L'Observateur

External links

Saly and sexual tourism

Web Portal dedicated to Saly Portudal
{{Authority control Populated places in Thiès Region Communes of Senegal