Across Sierra Leone, tourism is creating new opportunities for people to work, start businesses, and earn an income close to home.
From guides and drivers to artisans, restaurateurs, and guesthouse owners, the sector is demonstrating how investment in places can translate into jobs for people.
At the center of this shift is the Sierra Leone Economic Diversification Project (SLEDP), a World Bank Group-supported initiative launched by the government in 2020 to grow investment and enterprise in the tourism sector. Five years in, the impact is visible on mountainsides, beaches, and people’s livelihoods.
A Country Ready to Be Discovered
Sierra Leone’s tourism attractions — beautiful beaches, lush mountains, rich cultural traditions, and wildlife found nowhere else in the world — have long drawn attention from tourists and travel media.
What was missing was the combination of infrastructure, investment, and a stronger businesses environment needed to turn visitor interest into economic opportunity. The SLEDP set out to close that gap.
READ MORE: https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2026/09/23/sierra-leone-economic-diversification-project
