[YOG Dakar 2026] Babacar Mbengue (CEO of SAPCO): "The real challenge of the YOG for the tourism sector..."

With the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games (YOG), significant economic benefits are expected in several sectors, particularly tourism, restaurants, and transportation. Babacar Mbengue, Director General of SAPCO, explains how the Petite-Côte region is preparing to host this event and what impact is anticipated for tourism.

How are you approaching this meeting on the Petite Côte?

We approach this deadline with confidence, responsibility, and great pride. For the first time, Africa is hosting the Youth Olympic Games, and Saly has the honor of being one of the host cities for this historic event, alongside Dakar and Diamniadio.

I would like to reiterate that SAPCO-Senegal's commitment did not begin in recent weeks. We started working with the relevant committees as soon as Senegal's bid was being prepared. Our involvement has therefore been continuous, from the bid phase through to site preparation and support for operations on the ground.

The Saly Beach West site, made available to the COJOJ by SAPCO and officially handed over on August 10, will host six sporting disciplines.

In parallel, we worked with the Saly Town Hall, the COJOJ and other partners to improve the reception environment, particularly in terms of cleanliness, beautification and quality of life.

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Our objective is twofold: to contribute to the success of these Games and to ensure that Saly benefits sustainably from this international exposure.

Our ambition is clear: to ensure that Saly lives up to this historic occasion, while offering visitors a welcoming, dynamic and attractive image of Senegal as a destination.

Can we get an idea of the booking levels in hotels and other tourist establishments on the Petite Côte?

The Youth Olympic Games represent a real opportunity for accommodation professionals and, more broadly, for the entire tourism value chain.

However, a distinction must be made between accommodations used in the context of the organization of the Games and commercial bookings made directly by the establishments.

At this stage we do not wish to put forward an overall booking rate without having consolidated and verified data from the professionals concerned.

What we can say for certain is that this event coincides with the start of the tourist season. It therefore presents an opportunity to boost activity and enhance the destination's visibility.

We hope that the benefits will extend to large establishments as well as small accommodation providers, restaurateurs, transporters, artisans and traders.

For us, the tourism success of the Youth Olympic Games should not be measured solely by hotel occupancy rates, but also by the ability of local businesses to generate more activity and revenue.

The Youth Olympic Games coincide with what is usually a pivotal period for tourism. What impact will this have on tourism stakeholders on the Petite Côte?

We expect benefits on two levels.

The first is economic and immediate. The presence of athletes, delegations, coaches, media and visitors can generate additional activity for accommodation, catering, transport, commerce, crafts and services.

The second issue is strategic: international visibility. Images of Saly broadcast through competitions can help to raise awareness of our coastline, our hospitality, our heritage and the diversity of our tourism offerings.

But we must be realistic: visibility does not automatically translate into revenue. It must be accompanied by a quality offering, an attractive environment, professional services, and a genuine promotional strategy.

That's why we see the Youth Olympic Games as a potential catalyst for tourism development. We must take advantage of this event to attract new visitors, encourage future stays, and strengthen investor confidence.

The real challenge is to transform occasional visits into sustainable activity, opportunities for businesses and jobs for the population.

Do you have an estimate of the number of visitors that the Petite Côte could accommodate during the Games and the expected benefits for tourism professionals?

According to forecasts provided by the organizers, the Saly site is expected to host 528 athletes and more than 15,000 spectators.

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These figures give an indication of the importance of the event, but they should not be directly equated with the number of tourists welcomed to the Petite-Côte or the number of hotel nights.

We must also consider the delegations, supervisors, media, partners and visitors who may extend their stay to discover the destination.

Regarding the financial impact, we favor a rigorous approach. A reliable estimate must be based on consolidated data concerning visitor numbers, overnight stays, visitor spending, and the performance of local businesses.

We naturally expect positive effects on accommodation, catering, transport, crafts and services.

But beyond the immediate results, we want the Youth Olympic Games to boost the profile of the Petite-Côte, generate new visits and help attract investment.

The real success will be to transform this visibility into sustainable economic opportunities, creating activities, jobs and value for the territories.

What measures have you taken to contribute to the smooth running of the Games?

Our contribution is part of our mission to develop and promote tourist destinations. It began with the preparation of Senegal's bid and continued throughout the various stages of preparation for the Games.

On the ground, we notably made the Saly Beach West site available to the COJOJ, then mobilized our teams for the clearing of the land, the thorough cleaning of the beach and the sifting of the sand, in order to allow the installation of the sports infrastructure in good conditions.

We also participated, alongside the Saly Town Hall and the relevant services, in operations to clear, clean and beautify the station.

Furthermore, a program involving 195 solar streetlights has been launched as part of our partnership with the National Agency for Renewable Energies. I would like to commend the commitment of the teams at SAPCO, COJOJ, the Saly Town Hall, and all the partners involved.

Our role is not limited to preparing a competition space. We must also contribute to the quality of the tourist environment and the attractiveness of the territory hosting this event.

How can we ensure that the Youth Olympic Games provide lasting benefits to the Petite Côte tourist destination, beyond the competition itself?

This is precisely the question that should concern us today. The Games are an exceptional event, but our responsibility is to prepare for the post-Games period.

For Saly, we have identified four priorities: security, hygiene and cleanliness, improving the living environment, as well as digital technology and events.

The aim is to progressively enhance the quality of tourist areas, improve maintenance, better organize services and develop digital tools enabling more efficient management of the destination.

We also want to diversify the tourism offering. Saly shouldn't be just a beach destination. It has assets to develop sports, cultural, event, and leisure tourism.

This ambition concerns the entire Petite-Côte, particularly with the development prospects linked to Pointe Sarène and Mbodiène.

But this transformation cannot be carried out by SAPCO alone. It requires close collaboration with local authorities, tourism professionals, investors, government services and the public.

Our ambition is to transform Saly into a more modern, better organized, competitive, and sustainable destination. The Youth Olympic Games must help us accelerate this transformation.

A final word to tourism professionals and the people of Petite-Côte?

I would first like to commend the tourism professionals, the shopkeepers, the artisans, the transporters, the young entrepreneurs and all the people who contribute to making the destination thrive.

The Youth Olympic Games are an opportunity to showcase the best of Saly and the Petite-Côte. Everyone can contribute through the quality of their hospitality, their professionalism, their respect for the environment, and their sense of service.

I would also like to thank the COJOJ, the Saly Town Hall, the State services, our partners and the SAPCO teams for the work accomplished since the first stages of this adventure.

To the people, I say that these Games are also theirs. Their mobilization and hospitality will be essential to making them a collective success.

Finally, we must look beyond the competition. The challenge is to make this experience a starting point for a new tourism, economic and territorial ambition.

Welcome to the athletes and visitors. Welcome to Saly, welcome to the Petite-Côte and welcome to Senegal, the land of Teranga!

Interview by Youssouf SANE