The Cuban government will from this year work with Ghana to identify tourist attractions, develop its eco-tourism and offer training for people in the sector.
Mr. Jose Perez Novoa, the Cuban Ambassador in Ghana, made this known on Tuesday, when he called on Madam Hawa Yakubu, Minister of Tourism, to strengthen ties between the two countries.
He said Cuba is at present putting in measures that will facilitate efficient and quick acquisition of Cuban visas by Ghanaians who wish to study more about its cultural heritage.
Mr Novoa noted that an important aspect of the success of tourism in Cuba is the fact that about 75 per cent of their tourism needs are locally produced and there is a sense of national and domestic tourism.
The Ambassador said the annual growth rate of the sector in Cuba currently is 14 per cent. Last year, he said, 1.9 million tourists visited the country and this is expected to rise to about 2.5 million this year.
Madam Yakubu said Ghana's eco-tourism which is mainly in the rural areas, has not been properly marketed and more training needs to be done to ensure its success in the near future.
She said new areas of tourist attractions would be explored and appealed to the Ambassador for Cuba's assistance in identifying potential tourist areas.
Madam Yakubu said last year, a total of 388,000 tourists visited the country and hoped this figure would increase to about one million in the near future.
She said the training of in the sector is the central focus of her Ministry and hoped sponsorship to train in Cuba would be worked out by the ambassador as promised.
Ghana's annual tourism growth rate is currently eight per cent.
