Ghana hosts UNWTO seminar on handcrafts and tourism

Accra, May 9, GNA - A seminar that seeks to examine the prospect of a sustainable partnership between the tourism and the handcraft sector and how that could contribute to poverty alleviation in Africa would be held in Ghana from May 20 to 22, this year.

The seminar on the topic: "Tourism and Handcraft: two key economic sectors to contribute to poverty reduction in Africa," would bring together stakeholders in the two industries, including officials of Tourism Administration, Tour Operators, non governmental organizations and generally handcrafts related personnel and associations.

A statement signed by Mrs. Doris Yaa Yamoah, Public Relations officer at the Ministry of Tourism and Diasporan Relations said that the seminar was a follow -up to an earlier one held in Quagadougou, Burkina Faso, last year by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), which offered participants in the two industries the opportunity to exchange experiences, ideas and provide guidance for technical aspects of tourism and handcrafts development in Africa. The statement said handcrafts and tourism had the potential to bring major social and economic benefits to Africa, fostering the continuity of local traditions and making significant contribution to UNWTO's goal of working towards poverty reduction in the region. Topics to be discussed will include: Tourism and handcrafts development in Africa, Handcraft marketing and distribution for tourism purposes, Product design, quality and labelling