Create awareness about tourism potentials - Azumah Mensah

Accra, March 11, GNA - Mrs Juliana Azumah Mensah, Minister of Tourism, on Wednesday, expressed concern about the lack of awareness of the potentials the tourism sector contributes to the national economy. She therefore called on sector players to intensify the awareness on the contribution of the sector for the industry to receive the necessary support and attention it required from government and development partners. Mrs Azumah Mensah was inaugurating sub-committees tasked with the planning and management of the celebration of this year's World Tourism Day.

World Tourism Day is celebrated on 27th September every year to create awareness about tourism and its contribution to other sectors on development especially the economy. Ghana has been selected to host the global celebration of the Day this year on the theme: "Tourism Celebrating Diversification." The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) selects one country to host the International Tourism Day Celebration making Ghana the ninth country to host the event and the first African country. Mrs Azumah Mensah therefore urged members of the committees to plan interesting and exciting programmes that would leave a lasting memory on "our citizenry as well as international guests who would visit Ghana to participate in the event".

She said the theme for the celebration gave the country an opportunity to re-examine the catalytic role tourism played in developing other sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, mining, construction and transportation. "It is also to create awareness about the contribution of tourism in the preservation and conservation of our cultural, historical and natural resources." The Minister said the event would give Ghana a unique platform to champion the agenda of creating public awareness of the importance of tourism to the national economy, communities and individual businessmen and entrepreneurs.

The Sub-Committees inaugurated included the Media, Publicity, Marketing, Invitations, Protocol, Safety, Security, Health and Transport, Accommodation, Catering and Entertainment, Sanitation and Beautification, Tour Planning and Organization and Tourism Exhibition.