Tour operators backbone of tourism industry — TOUGHA President
Tour operators are an essential part of the tourism industry. They possess the knowledge, experience and expertise to provide the ultimate travel experience for sightseers.
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They also help find the best deals on travel packages and offer advice on how to make a trip memorable.
However, in the value chain of the tourism industry, little or nothing is heard about them.
In view of this, Delali Sika (DS) of the Daily Graphic spoke to the President of Tour Operators Union of Ghana (TOUGHA), Alisa Osei-Asamoah (AOA), who shed more light on the tour operating industry. She also cleared some misconceptions about the industry.
DELALI SIKA (DS): How important are tour guides to tourism?
Alisa Osei-Asamoah (AOA): They drive businesses, they have the responsibility to enhance the travel experience by keeping guests happy, safe and inspired. This is the person who can make or break a trip. If a tourist would want to come back for more, it largely depends on the tour guide, so they are very vital to the tourism industry.
DS: What are the qualities of a tour guide?
AOA: They are enthusiastic, great tour guides who will share their knowledge in an engaging, interactive and entertaining way. They are very communicative, outgoing, funny, decisive, organised, punctual and have good interpersonal skills.
DS: There is a perception that the tour
AOA: I thought it was for the elite rather. Anyway, I hold a Masters in Tourism from the University of Cape Coast. Now my staff including tour operators have to be certified by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). If you’re not IATA certified, you don’t qualify to be one.
Becoming tour operator
DS: What will make one a tour operator?
AOA: Before you become a tour operator, you need to have a tourism and hospitality background in terms of education. It doesn’t have to be your masters but you have to get the knowledge.
Also, if you want to set up a tour operation firm, you need a registered company. After that, you apply for a licence from the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA).
DS: It seems Ghanaian tourists prefer travelling outside the shores of Ghana. Why is that the case?
AOA: Our sustainability studies showed that they prefer Dubai, South Africa, Europe among others because tourism in Ghana seems high, especially accommodation.
Because with GH¢15,000 you can go to Dubai, spend a week including, tickets and accommodation. So why is it that in Ghana accommodation is so expensive? You leave on the weekend, come back on Sunday, and you've spent so much.
DS: What measures are being put in place to scale up interest in domestic tourism?
AOA: So far, we have met with stakeholders. It is a chain. We use the hotel, we use the tour guides, we use the restaurants, and of course, the site and all.
So why don't you engage them and tell them our story? That this is what Ghanaians want and the challenges we're facing. Why can't you reduce the fees to make it attractive so that Ghanaians can also travel, which they have listened to. After all, we know the fees for Ghanaians are not the same for non-Ghanaians.
From that, education and campaigns are also ongoing in various regions through various means. We also have a partnership with GTA and so far, the results have been amazing. Lastly, we are actively using social media to get our campaign across.
Importance
DS: Why do I need a tour guide when I can book the accommodation myself?
AOA: You need us because of the prices involved. The deal you will get through us cannot be compared to what you will get when you do it on your own. Again, tour guides navigate for you. This includes getting you from the airport to your hotel without a hitch, leading you through the streets, taking the lead on a trek so you don't go in a circle and even just ensuring you find your way out of that enormous botanic garden among others.
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DS: Are there plans to extend your services outside the shores of Ghana?
AOA: Last year I met the President of the National Association of Travel Agents in Nigeria (NATA) and we talked about intra African travel. Wespoke to a few parties and they were willing to support us. We recently came back from South Africa; we met as tour operators and they also threw their weight behind us.
DS: As the President of the TOUGHA, how do you think you have fared since 2020?
AOA: In fact, I became the president just after COVID-19 and one of my visions was to promote domestic tourism, because we realise that our industry was badly hit during the pandemic. And in fact, we thought our businesses were gone.
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Then I realised speaking to my other counterparts in other countries, for example, Kenya; that they were practicing a lot of domestic tourism. People were travelling within the country, so I told my members that look, we need to promote domestic tourism. So, in that regard I would say we are on course.
Association
DS: How does one join the association?
AOA: You need to have a GTA licence to be able to join us. Most often the challenge we have is that, most of them have registered companies but no licence, so that is where we come in.
DS: The association for the first time won Best Tourism Association at this year’s Business Excellence Awards. How do you feel about the award?
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Alisa Osei-Asamoah (right) receiving the Best Tourism Association award from Professor Goski Alabi, an author. Picture: ERNEST KODZI
AOA: It's amazing and I’m glad that gradually we are getting the recognition that we deserve. We are changing the narrative of being at the back to the forefront. It felt good knowing that our work over the years had been acknowledged and crowned.
DS: Before we end this interview, tell us a little about yourself?
AOA: I have grown into an accomplished travel and tourism consultant, and I am also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Riali Consult. I am a member of Ghana’s prestigious Club 100 and I became the president of TOUGHA after serving for four continuous years each as Treasurer and Vice-President, respectively, of TOUGHA from 2012.
Over the years, my personal and professional attributes have been duly recognised. Some of the awards I have to my credit include Top 100 Travel and Tourism Personality Award by the Africa Travel 100 Women; Best Travel Company in Ghana for the Year 2021, Award by the International Travel Awards; 2022 Ghana- West Africa Business Excellence Award an International Business Achiever of the Year Award Winner in the Travel and Tourism Category by the Maverick Business Academy, London among others.
Writer’s email:
delali.sika@graphic.com.gh