Domestic Tourism Is My Priority – Tourism Minister

The Minister of Tourism has observed that domestic tourism holds the key to unlocking the potential of the sector. Apart from its financial and employment creation opportunities, the Minister stressed that active participation in domestic tourism also has the potential of uniting the people as it helps in appreciating and understanding various traditional and cultural practices.

To this end, the Minister says identifying tourist sites in the regions and promoting domestic tourism will be high on her agenda.

The Minister of Tourism, Hon. Akua Sena Dansua made these remarks at the launch of the 2011 Paragliding Festival in Accra. Hang and Paragliding is an aviation sport that enables people to fly in light aircraft for pleasure and adventure.

Hon. Dansua said the Ministry has consulted stakeholders to develop tourism infrastructure, including the road to Mount Odweanoma and improvement of the paragliding site in Kwahu, through public-private partnership framework, to improve access to the site. She therefore made an appeal to the Kwahu Business Community to continue to support this noble endeavour.

The Minister noted that this adventurous, breathtaking, unique and exciting festival has become an integral part of the country’s Tourism calendar, as well as the famous “Kwahu Easter” festivities. She was happy that the festival has helped boost the country’s image as an accomplished tourism destination in West Africa.

This year's edition, dubbed: Kwahu Paragliding Festival 2011," comes off between April 22- April 25, and promises to be extra exciting with about 32 pilots from seven countries and participants from all over the country.

According to Hon. Dansua, statistics from the Ghana Tourist Board indicate that more than half of visitors to last year’s event were Ghanaians, a testimony to how Ghanaians have shown interest in domestic tourism and owned the event. There were also visitors from America, Britain, Sweden, Germany, Norway, Nigeria, Denmark, the Netherlands, Cuba, and Mexico.

She called on the Ghana Tourist Board, Ministries of Local Government and Rural Development, Health, and Youth and Sports to develop programmes and activities that will harness the energies of the youth and minimize and/or prevent the transmission of STDS, HIV/AIDS and other diseases so the energies of the youth can be redirected at very productive ventures. She indicated that the youth are to be involved in the design and implementation of tourism activities, in line with the Tourism Ministry’s policy to “catch them young” and inculcate in them the habit of appreciating the value of tourism products in the country.

The Minister announced that an added feature of this year’s event will be the integration of the Easter activities of the Chiefs and People of the Kwahu South District. This will be in addition to the traditional activities that characterize the event: health walk, adventure hikes, musical shows, street carnivals, etc. The aim of this added feature is to showcase and enhance the Kwahu Easter celebrations. She used the occasion to appeal to road users, especially those to the paragliding site, to be extra careful during the Easter Season.

A representative of Daasebre Akuamoah Boateng, Paramount Chief of Kwahu Traditional Area, Nana Kuntun Sakyi IV, Chief of Kwahu Nkami appealed to the youth to dress decently and be good ambassadors of the Kwahu area and the nation at large during the festival. The Ghanaian football star, Laryea Kingston, was outdoored as the Sports Tourism Ambassador of the festival.