VOA标准英语2010年-Sierra Leone Working to Attract Touris

Once a booming tourist destination for Europeans looking for a small stretch of tropical paradise, Sierra Leone is better known these days for its post-war struggles to develop. But many here believe that the tourist trade is just about to take off again.

The clean white sand, warm ocean and tropical backdrop of the No. 2 River Beach is a short if bumpy¹ ride south of Sierra Leone's capital, Freetown. A well-known secret among expatriots and locals, many feel this beach symbolizes² Sierra Leone's tourism trade - little-known, unspoiled, beautiful, and slightly difficult to get to.

Jim Dean, an American expat who works for a USAID-funded project here, says this beach is special.

"It's kind of an unspoiled area. If you pan in on the hills behind us, this is all the Western reserve, this is what's left of the rainforest in this part of Sierra Leone," he explained.  "So all of us who live here and really enjoy this environment would like to see it promoted as an eco-tourism destination rather than turned into another Jamaica with big hotels, restaurants and bars."

But for the community association running the No 2. River Beach Resort, the weekend crowds from Freetown are only just enough to sustain their business.

Daniel Macauley heads the association that has successfully reinvested profit back into the business and into developing the nearby village. High youth unemployment and a beautiful beachside setting prompted the community to set up the resort fifteen years ago. Now the association wants to expand.

"Our future plans is actually to make sure that this resort becomes an eco-lodge - so that it will be internationally known, people will be coming from outside, that will make more money obviously and it will also be part of means of youth to be employed in this community," he said.

Macauley says United Nations and NGO workers come in smaller numbers these days. So he hopes to attract international tourists to the resort instead.

But challenges for Sierra Leone's tourism industry remain significant. Road infrastructure³ is poor and prices are often relatively⁴ high for transport and lodging⁵. There are few charter flights and a return ticket on a commercial airline can cost over $1,000.

Bimbola Carrol runs a local tour company, Visit Sierra Leone, and an online forum⁶ that addresses traveler's concerns about going to Sierra Leone.

"For tour operators such as myself, I think the biggest challenge undoubtedly⁷ is the image that Sierra Leone has outside of the country," he said.  "I think during the years of the conflict a lot of negative images came out and it is very difficult to change those opinions that people have held about Sierra Leone."

The country's civil war ended almost eight years ago, but many Westerners still associate the country with images of the conflict's violence and brutality⁸. The 2006 Hollywood film Blood Diamond - set during the war - became the reference point for millions of viewers.

Though nowhere near the height of the 1980s tourism boom, the Tourist Board says numbers are steadily⁹ rising.  More than 5,000 people came to Sierra Leone on holiday last year. The first guidebook was published last year and two UK-based tour operators are now organizing trips to Sierra Leone.

Caryl Canzius is a tourist visiting from Toronto, Canada. As she watches the sun set over Freetown's Lumely beach, she says Sierra Leone surprised her.

"I'd say my first impression people here are very kind, the land is beautiful, the beaches are absolutely amazing," she said.  "I was one of those people that was a little afraid but now I've been here I've seen that it is quite stable and very safe as well. So pleasantly surprised."

Bimbola Carrol says he is confident that in a few years time, Sierra Leone will be back on the tourism map. On the wall behind him, a poster depicting¹⁰ pristine¹¹ beach advises, "Discover Sierra Leone Before Everyone Else Does".

The Tourism Board says tourism currently generates approximately $20 million. As the country moves from post-conflict to investor-friendly destination, tourism could have a significant impact on the economy of one of the poorest countries in the world. If only they can convince people to come.
 

1 bumpy   

adj.颠簸不平的，崎岖的

参考例句：

• I think we've a bumpy road ahead of us.我觉得我们将要面临一段困难时期。
• The wide paved road degenerated into a narrow bumpy track.铺好的宽阔道路渐渐变窄，成了一条崎岖不平的小径。

2 symbolizes   

v.象征，作为…的象征( symbolize的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The use of light and dark symbolizes good and evil. 用光明与黑暗来象征善与恶。
• She likes olive because It'symbolizes peace. 她喜欢橄榄色因为它象征着和平。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

4 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

5 lodging   

n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍

参考例句：

• The bill is inclusive of the food and lodging. 账单包括吃、住费用。
• Where can you find lodging for the night? 你今晚在哪里借宿?

6 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

7 undoubtedly   

adv.确实地，无疑地

参考例句：

• It is undoubtedly she who has said that.这话明明是她说的。
• He is undoubtedly the pride of China.毫无疑问他是中国的骄傲。

8 brutality   

n.野蛮的行为，残忍，野蛮

参考例句：

• The brutality of the crime has appalled the public. 罪行之残暴使公众大为震惊。
• a general who was infamous for his brutality 因残忍而恶名昭彰的将军

9 steadily   

adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地

参考例句：

• The scope of man's use of natural resources will steadily grow.人类利用自然资源的广度将日益扩大。
• Our educational reform was steadily led onto the correct path.我们的教学改革慢慢上轨道了。

10 depicting   

描绘，描画( depict的现在分词 )； 描述

参考例句：

• a painting depicting the Virgin and Child 一幅描绘童贞马利亚和圣子耶稣的画
• The movie depicting the battles and bloodshed is bound to strike home. 这部描写战斗和流血牺牲的影片一定会取得预期效果。

11 pristine   

adj.原来的，古时的，原始的，纯净的，无垢的

参考例句：

• He wiped his fingers on his pristine handkerchief.他用他那块洁净的手帕擦手指。
• He wasn't about to blemish that pristine record.他本不想去玷污那清白的过去。