Ghana to host tourism conference
As part of the initiatives to boost tourism in the country and the Continent, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts is set to host the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNTWO) this month.
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The three-day conference scheduled for August 17-19 is expected to host 24 other African countries to deliberate on issues vital for the continent’s tourism growth.
Themed, “Enhancing Brand Africa; Fostering Tourism Development”, the conference is expected to identify key challenges that have hindered the growth of tourism.
It will also provide the platform for participants to learn from one another to boost tourism in their respective countries and to face off competition in the “changing face of tourism globally”.
Speaking at a press launch on Thursday, Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, the sector Minister, said the conference is an opportunity for Ghana to sell herself to the outside world since the gathering would attract high-profile personalities from UNTWO and international media organisations such as CNN and BBC.
“Tourism is one of Africa’s most promising sectors in terms of development and it creates job opportunities for millions in Africa. This conference will help Ghana and the rest of Africa to tell our own stories to correct the negative portrayal of the continent. And this can only be achieved through a robust tourism industry”, she said.
She also bemoaned the negative effects the Ebola outbreak had on tourism in Africa last year.
“Ebola was prevalent in only four West African countries yet the whole of the continent suffered and we must take steps to correct this negative impression to the outside world since it is taking a heavy toll on tourism in Africa,” she said.
She informed the media that “After the conference, participants who are expected to arrive in the country by Saturday, August 15, will, among others, see some of the popular tourism sites in the country such as the Kakum National Park and its Canopy Walkway and the Cape Coast Castle in the Central Region.”
