BUDGET: Tourism is a major growth sector

Accra, Nov.10, GNA - Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning on Thursday said the number of visitors to Ghana next year has been projected to increase by more than 14 per cent to 880,000 from this year's estimate of 760,000.

He said tourist receipts were also expected to increase from one billion dollars in 2005 to 1.2 billion dollars in 2006.

Presenting the 2006 Budget Statement to Parliament, Mr Baah-Wiredu said the overall Hotel Room capacity would improve from the current 28,445 to 33,566 in 2006, which in addition to other tourist sites would generate 40,000 direct and indirect jobs in 2006. He said tourism continued to show impressive growth in both the number of visitors and the revenues earned from it.