Accra Sept. 24, '98
Accra Sept. 24, '98 Mr Mike Gizo, Minister of Tourism, today urged the private sector to take advantage of opportunities under the 15-year Integrated Tourism Development Programme to enable Ghana to achieve its target of one million tourist arrivals by the year 2010. Mr Gizo who was addressing a news conference in Accra, said the programme prepared with the support of the World Tourism Organisation (WTO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), uncovers potentials in the 10 regions in the country and proposes strategies for their development. Last year, Ghana recorded 330 tourist arrivals which fetched about 265 million dollars. This is expected to grow by 12 per cent annually, reaching about one million arrivals and 800 million dollars in 2010. Mr Gizo said although the private sector has been building hotels and other tourism projects as well as organising innovative activities to support the industry, it is important that the sector increases its participation, especially, in the promotion of tourist attractions. "The packaging of special, specific, and targeted tours for instance, can only be effective if it is handled by the private stakeholders themselves. "It is also an indisputable fact that the tourism industry is a capital intensive and some-how a high risk undertaking. However, if these tourism plants are properly managed and professionally promoted, they tend to churn out quick and maximum returns on the investments made". The news conference was organised to announce activities to mark the World Tourism Day which falls on Sunday, September 27. The theme for Day is : "Public-Private Partnership, the key to Tourism Development and Promotion".
