Ghana to hosts 2017 World Tourism Forum

Ghana would be the first African country to host the World Tourism Forum –Africa Summit scheduled for October 10 and 11, 2017, at the Kempinski Gold Coast City Hotel in Accra.

The Ghana event will have President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo -Addo as the Special Guest.

The forum would bring together about 50 foreign media houses, 10 African Ministers, as well as Ambassadors, Chief Executive Officers of Tourism from other countries and stakeholders in the sector.

Mr. Akwesi Agyemang, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Tourism Authority, who announced this at a press conference to highlight activities for the event, said they were collaborating with three hotels, namely, Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel, Accra City Hotel and Urbano Hotel (formally Penta Hotel) at Osu to host the guests.

He said prior to the event, there would be a regional tour for the guests on October 9, to some interesting tourism sites and monuments in the Central Region, followed by a welcome cocktail in the evening at the National Theatre in Accra.

The CEO said the main event at the Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel on October 10, 2017, would be crowned with a Gala Dinner and Tourism Awards.

“On October 11, 2017, there will be another tour in the Greater Accra Region to interesting tourism sites,” and appealed to the local media to collaborate with the Local Organising Committee and the foreign media to sell the country to the outside world.

He said there would be a Regional Training for stakeholders in the sector from October 12 to 17, 2017, by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation in Accra and urged the media to give the necessary support to the two events.

Mrs. Catherine Afeku, Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, said Ghana was chosen over other African countries to host the event because of her political stability.

She said the proverbial Ghanaian hospitality as well as the safety measures put in place to ensure visitors transact their businesses devoid of fear, also put Ghana high above other African countries.

The Minister noted that the World Tourism Forum is a classical event that would need the support of the media to tell Ghana’s story to the world and urged the local media to show the country’s genuine warmth, hospitality, and generosity to their foreign counterparts.

Mrs. Afeku said after the forum, the GTA would issue a statement to showcase Ghana’s capability as a tourism destination in Africa, saying that, “let’s help the foreigners to see Ghana through our eyes”.

To the local media, she said, the forum is an opportunity for them to network with global media networks to sell themselves and also, by collaborating with the foreign media to sell Ghana’s tourism potentials.