Mr. Kwabena Baah-Duodu, Ghana’s Deputy High Commissioner to the UK has urged Ghanaians abroad to supplement efforts of government by helping to attract tourists into the country.
He said the government on its part is doing all within competing constraints to provide the requisite infrastructure to support the development of the sector.
Mr. Baah-Duodu acknowledged that although the UK continued to top the European league table of tourist sources to Ghana, increased tourist arrivals would go a long way to stimulate and boost production of a large variety of products in the country, provide employment opportunities as well as facilitate the realisation of the government’s vision of wealth creation.
Speaking at a one-day seminar on tourism organised by the Homecoming Steering Committee of UK & Ireland in collaboration with the Ghana High Commission, Mr. Baah-Duodu indicated his optimism that the tourism sector could in the very near future replace cocoa and gold as the number one foreign exchange earner for Ghana.
The highlight of the seminar was the launch of a 15-minute Video/DVD tourist documentary, produced by Mr. Opoku Acheampong, Managing Director of Francom Travel & Tour agency based in Tema.
Those present at the seminar included Nii Ayitey Boafo, Special Aide to the President, Mr. K.T. Hammond, Deputy Minister of Energy, Mr. Asamoah Boateng, National Co-ordinator of the Homecoming Secretariat, Rev Mark Adu-Gyamfi, Chairman, Homecoming Steering Committee, UK and Ireland, Mrs Victoria Manford, a tourist consultant; representatives of Ghanaian community associations, identifiable groups and friends of Ghana.
Rev Adu-Gyamfi and Ms Victoria Manford, also called on Ghanaians to join the crusade to attract viable investments as well as quality tourists into the country.
They emphasised that the committee in conjunction with knowledgeable Ghanaians in the sector would encourage and assist the tourist agencies to market the country’s unique tourist products to the tourist originating countries in Europe, the Americas and the Far East.
Rev.Adu-Gyamfi added that by successfully setting Ghana as a credible and reliable tourist destination, real tourism would increase and boost the economy ultimately.
Mr. Asamoah Boateng observed that the government was opening up the country through its nation-wide roads reconstruction programme to promote internal tourism which would in turn enable Ghanaians, particularly those in the diaspora, to effectively market the country’s tourist attractions to the international community.
On his part, Hon.K.T. Hammond said that government was fervently exploring avenues of salvaging the national carrier, Ghana Airways from its current financial predicament to enable it reclaim its position as a dominant force in the aviation business in the sub-region and beyond.
“Revamping the operations of Ghana Airways is crucial not only for the enhancement of our tourist industry but also to restore the pride of our people in the national carrier” he added.
Among issues raised by participants included the early implementation of the Dual Citizenship law, provision of budget hotel facilities for tourists, developing basic facilities at the numerous tourist sites and a call for a well packaged and aggressive marketing of the country’s tourist sector.
