Graphic Business/Stanbic Breakfast Meeting: 3 Prominent speakers to discuss tourism today
Three prominent speakers have been lined up to elevate the discussion on Ghana’s tourism potential and how corporates, businesses and individuals can play their respective roles to make the sector contribute to the socio-economic growth of the country.
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They are: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Akwasi Agyemang, Managing Director (MD) of Labadi Beach Hotel, David Eduaful, A tax Partner at PriceWaterCoopers, Abeku Gyan Quansah
The speakers will share their thoughts at the first in the series of the quarterly Graphic Business/Stanbic Breakfast Meeting today at the Labadi Beach Hotel on the theme: 'Tourism the Golden Egg, a Shared Responsibility'.
Perspectives
While Mr Agyemang will lead discussions on the topic ‘Transportation Potential of Tourism in the Global Context’, Mr Eduaful will tackle the perspective on ‘Tourism Value Chain and its Role in Boosting Rural Livelihoods. Mr Gyan Quansah will, on the other hand delve into the ‘Innovative Policies of Taxes to Enhance the Tourism Sector.”
Who attends
Today’s event is highly expected to attract leaders in the tourism value chain, captains of industry, business leaders, academia among many others.
Participants are also expected contribute their ideas on how to arrive at ways by which the country can consolidate and enhance its tourism potential for rapid economic growth.
Tourism budget
As a sign of its commitment to boost the sector, government has committed over GH¢400 million to provide new tourist attraction sites, while renovating existing ones as part of measures to make the country’s tourism sector more attractive.
These tourist attractions include the construction of museums and rehabilitating attraction sites, such as the Shai Hills, Mole National Park, Cape Coast, and Elmina Castles.
According to the Ministry of Arts and Culture, the government had this year targeted two million tourist arrivals with each tourist expected to spend an average of $3,000, which would automatically generate $6 million contributing to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Year of Return in Ghana
In 2018, the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, proclaimed 2019 as the Year of Return to commemorate 400 years since the transatlantic slave trade.
The initiative sought to invite the African diaspora and people of African descent from all over the world to visit Ghana and reconnect with their roots. The invitation was open to all, regardless of their nationality, race or background.
The Year of Return initiative had a profound impact on Ghana's tourism sector. According to the Ghana Tourism Authority, the number of tourists visiting Ghana in 2019 increased by 45 per cent compared to the previous year, with an estimated revenue of $3.3 billion.
