2016 Passport DC Attracted 4,600 Visitors to Ghana Embassy In Washington DC

The Ghana Embassy’s participation in this year’s US Cultural Tourism programme, dubbed Passport DC in Washington DC, attracted 4,574 visitors to the Chancery on Saturday, May 7, 2016.

Passport DC is a month-long celebration of International cultures which climax on the first Saturday of the month of May.

The event opens the doors of Washington DC’s 60 plus Embassies to the American public, giving them the opportunity to display their cultures, food, fashion (Clothing), music and the people’s way of life to the visitors who visits the Embassy.

Participating Embassies present to the American public their Educational programmes/activities for children, music, live or recorded, provide handouts with information on the country, its people, customs and traditions with promotional brochures on the country. During Passport DC, the diplomatic exclusivity that makes Embassies inaccessible to ordinary residents of the District of Columbia comes down, giving the locals a unique opportunity to explore the many cultures represented in their community.

In brief remarks, the Head of Mission, His Excellency Lt. Gen. Joseph Henry Smith, who is also Ghana’s Ambassador to the US, welcomed visitors to the chancery and hoped their visit would enable them know and understand the country and her people.

To the business community, Ambassador Smith said Passport DC was an opportunity for them to get in touch and interact with the Trade section of the Mission in their quest to do business in Ghana.

Ghana has been peaceful for the past 25 years, he reiterated, saying Ghana is the best and safest investment destination for any investor and urged them to make Ghana their first priority.

Benefits the Mission gets from participating in Washington’s Cultural Tourism include the opportunity to present the country and especially her Trade and Investment opportunities to the large American visitors to the Mission during the event. The country get listed as a member and linked on www.CulturalTourismDC.org – which attracts over 30,000 visitors.

The Embassy/Country is exposed to local Investors, Businesses, Tourists and markets through cultural Tourism DC’s public relations and promotional activities.

The Embassy also gets the opportunity to attend and host monthly membership networking meetings, linking leaders of Washington DC cultural community to the Embassy.

During the month of May in every year, Cultural Tourism hosts Passport DC with the theme “Around the world Embassy Tour”. The Event attracts estimated 30,000 people visiting Embassies in Washington.

Apart from the above, Passport DC presents the country with the opportunity to sell herself to close to 5,000 Americans made up of Investors, Business men and women, Tourists and ordinary members of the American public.