Tourism fair begins on March 22

Accra, Feb. 22, GNA - A fair to showcase tourist attractions, hospitality services, hotels and other tourist products in the West African sub-region would be held in Kumasi from March 22-25 this year.

The fair being organized by the West Africa Tourism Union (WATU) is part of events officially scheduled by the Ghana@50 Secretariat as part of the Golden Jubilee celebration. It will be under the patronage of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

Nana Prempeh Osei Bonsu, President of WATU, told the GNA on Thursday that the fair had the objective of putting West Africa tourism on the global market. It is also to create a multi-destination tourism for West Africa so that people visiting Ghana could also visit Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea and other countries in the sub-region.

Participating countries at the fair would include Ghana, Togo, Benin and Burkina Faso, Nana Bonsu said, and expressed the hope that Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire and Mali could make their commitment later. He expressed the hope that Ghana, acting as a host would take advantage to showcase her products like cocoa, Kente, gold and other tourist attractions.

Nana Bonsu said the fair could also facilitate unity among Africans in the sub-region.

Nana Bonsu said the event, when successful would spur other tourism fairs to promote West Africa as a destination of choice. He called for sponsorship from tourism-related organizations to help in booming the industry.

"We also want sponsorship from sub-region tourism operators," he said.

WATU was formed to enable tourism practitioners in the sub-region to share ideas on how they could improve and enhance services in the tourism industry.