GTA launches 50th anniversary
The Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, has announced a collaboration between the ministry and the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) to leverage and develop tourism to contribute massively to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
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He said with the right policies and interventions, tourism could be harnessed to become a top foreign exchange earner for the country and further contribute to ensure sustainable development in the country.
"As has been seen in other countries, tourism in Ghana has the potential. Tourism will take over the mining, cocoa, oil and gas industry in terms of GDP growth, job creation, among others, and we will do it. “I want to urge all staff of the GTA and stakeholders in the tourism industry to acquire critical skills so that we can meet new challenges," he said.
Dr Awal was speaking yesterday at the launch of the 50th anniversary celebrations of the GTA.
GTA at 50
The anniversary launch brought together representatives from the various stakeholders in the tourism industry, including the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, hoteliers, caterers, car rental companies and the Ghana Tourism Federation.
The anniversary of the GTA will be climaxed with a 50th Jubilee Musical Concert in December, this year.
Other activities outlined for the celebration will include paragliding, a float, staff durbar, health walk and screening, a summit on tourism and an awards and dinner night.
Tourism potential
Dr Awal said apart from having many ideal tourist attractions, Ghana was also blessed with a rich and diverse culture that made tourism to thrive.
As the body charged with formulating policies for the sector, he said, his outfit was working with the GTA to put in place the right structures and also create a conducive atmosphere for tourism to thrive.
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Again, he said the ministry and GTA would continue to work on training and skill acquisition to help improve on the services in the tourism sector.
“ We are going to train about 6,000 people in the tourism ecosystem to improve the quality. When you have quality, tourists will not just come and go, they will spread the word for others to come with their families and spend more.
“Therefore by extension, more money into the economy," he said.
Significant increase
In his address, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GTA, Akwasi Agyeman, said the sector had shown strong growth in the past year, with a significant increase in international and domestic arrivals.
" We have seen significant increases in international arrivals with a growth of 47 per cent . While most African countries are doing 65 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, Ghana did 81 per cent," he said.
Mr Agyeman noted that the number of licensed tourist facilities had increased by six per cent this year alone.
"This is an indication that the private sector is investing in the tourism industry and recognising its potential for growth and profitability. We also acknowledge that the private sector is a critical partner in the development of the tourism industry, so we will work with them.
"We believe that by leveraging our collective strengths and expertise, we can continue to drive growth and create opportunities for the industry," Mr Agyeman said.
Point of sales
For his part, the CEO of Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), Yofi Grant, encouraged stakeholders in the tourism sector to utilise people in the Diaspora to market Ghana’s world-class tourist sites to the world.
"Ghana has a lot of attractive things; we all have people living abroad, let's use them to sell our tourism. We should not underestimate our potential. Together, we will win," he said.
Writer's email: delali.sika@graphic.com.gh