Could the West African state of Gambia be the next hot destination for ambitious investors?Overseas property company Homesgofast believes the tiny West African state of Gambia could be the next hot destination for ambitious investors. The online property portal is offering off-plan investment opportunities on the sun drenched Gambian coast, and is recruiting agents to promote the country ahead of an expected rush of interest in this emerging market. The former British colony is the smallest country in mainland Africa, with an area of just 4391 square miles, and a population of 1.5million. Bordered by Senegal to the north, south and east, Gambia is well-established as a popular destination for British tourists, and with winter temperatures of 30°C it rejoices in its nickname of ‘The Smiling Coast’. It has also been dubbed ‘The New Caribbean’, and investor confidence has grown rapidly, with property prices rising by 30%% a year for the last two years.Nicholas Marr, chief executive of Homesgofast.com, says: “When you look at all the facts and figures for this region, along with the government’s desire to encourage direct inward investment, it appears that Gambia has all the hallmarks of an exciting, emerging market for overseas property investors.”He adds: “We intend to take on real estate agents to spread the word about Gambian property, and are pleased that we are already able to offer attractive coastal properties to our clients ”