‘See Ghana’ supports domestic tourism

Since news broke of the Ebola outbreak, tourism figures to the African sub-region have slammed considerably, forcing a re-look at the sector by many governments.

In response, Ghana’s Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts has initiated an ‘Explore Ghana’ drive, with the sector’s minister making fervent efforts amid her busy schedule to visit and bring the spotlight on many of the country’s attractions. Her most recent visit was a very insightful excursion to the Northern Region.

Similarly, a private sector initiative by a marketing consortium made up of destination management firm Bentsifi, Viasat1 television and Joy FM radio, dubbed Tourism Marketing Alliance, Ghana, has since March sustained a profile-raising initiative, aimed at encouraging Accra’s residents to visit the various regional, cultural and historic attraction sites across the country, and patronise hospitality establishments in an effort to drive up domestic tourism.

Dubbed ‘See Ghana’, the movement has already taken groups to explore the Kwahu area in the Eastern Region, visited among others the rock formations of the Tanoboase Sacred Grove of the Brong Ahafo Region and followed the Slave route in an enlightening excursion in the Central Region. An exploration of the cultural landscape of Kumasi and Lake Bosumtwi is next on their agenda.

For any development agenda in tourism to succeed, the domestic angle needs a serious looking into. Because tourism’s multiple knock off economic spread creates gains regardless of where the participants come from, whether internally or from abroad.

Lately, however, while many traditional tour operators who are feeling the slam the most are developing itineraries that are sending groups out on packages abroad in order to survive, a number of tour companies have also emerged focusing on domestic tours only.

Mention can be made of Native Adventures, Adventure Junkies, Hawt Tours and Braveheart Expeditions, all companies whose primary mission is to promote and offer adventure and other insightful tours within the country.

Adventure is the name of the game. Tourism in Ghana is no longer just an excursion to see the Akosombo Dam, or a trip to the beach with an ice chest full of drinks. Braveheart Expeditions for instance, being the only licensed company in West Africa to offer abseiling, promote tours where interested adventurers scale down hills and mountains strapped in metal wires and ropes.

New attractions coming up also have mild adventure at heart, with the owners of Jay’s Lodge in Obo, Kwahu erecting a 100m drop zipline on which people can be hoisted and have an exciting free fall. It is fast becoming the must-visit attraction.

Concerns have been raised about the safety of such facilities, however, in the wake of the unfortunate Bunso incident where one of the bridges at the Aboretum collapsed dropping a number of schoolchildren on it. But, as with the walkways at the Kakum Park ,which has been around over a decade without incident, safety is key, and maintenance is quite frequent. Government agencies must, however, conduct routine checks to ensure this is continued.

There is an urgent need to restore a sense of pride among us as Ghanaians. We need to become ambassadors of our country ourselves to know what she has to offer with respect to heritage and tourism attractions, facilities, accessibility, and what legacies and arts & culture we have.

Tourism can make us believe in Ghana again! And, to create a generation of proud Ghanaians who will effectively be able to ‘sell’ the country and encourage more people to bring in the tourist dollar, residents need to physically experience what is on offer.

Anyway you look at the developmental agenda for all countries and regions of the world, tourism matters.

Tourism not a priority

Yet, despite it being such a high-impact economic activity in trade, services, and a major job generator, tourism is yet to become a priority area for governments in most developing countries.

According to the UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organisation), tourism accounts for 9 per cent of global GDP, generates more than US$ 1.3 trillion in trade income or 30 per cent of the world’s services exports and provides one in eleven jobs worldwide.

It is one of the key socio-economic sectors of our times. From an activity reserved for the privileged few only some decades ago, tourism today moves more than one billion people across international borders each year.

Globalisation of goods and services, more leisure time, the technological and transport revolutions and rising middle classes, have all positioned tourism as one of the world’s leading growth engines.

As a trade in services category, tourism ranks fifth after fuels, chemicals, food and automotive products. As a major source of foreign exchange and investment, tourism creates the much needed employment and business opportunities. Tourism’s unparalleled cross-cutting nature and multiple links to the other economic sectors further positions it as an efficient multiplier in global development strategies.

This is why ‘See Ghana’ – which has the slogan, ‘the place you think you know’ - against many odds, is yet careering on, driving home the message for all, especially corporate Ghana, to look in the way of tourism and culture, to lend more support to that sector, even as political will for it is still taxiing and help make the movement one that Ghana gains. — GB