Ghana to host first tourism confab in Africa

Ghana will be the first African country to host the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) regional conference aimed at rebranding the image of Africa to boost tourism.

The conference scheduled to take place on August 17 to 19, this year is expected to attract over 150 international delegates, including the UNTWO Secretary General, Mr Taleb Rafai and other African Tourism Ministers.

The three-day event which would be held on the theme “Enhancing Brand Africa, Fostering Tourism Development” is aimed at rebranding Africa by using tourism as one of the key drivers for sustainable economic development.

Topical issues relating to the image of Africa will be discussed to demystify the negative perception within the international community.
Among other benefits, the conference is expected to reposition Africa as competitive destinations for business, investment and tourism through the international media.

UNWTO conference

Launching the conference on behalf of the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts (MOTCCA) in Accra last Tuesday, the Deputy Minister, Mrs Abla Dzifa Gomashie, explained that tourism had been recognised as one of the fundamental tool to create jobs for small enterprises, foster investments and generate foreign exchange.

She said currently, tourism accounted for seven per cent of all exports in Africa and 58 per cent of its service exports.

For this reason, she said, the stigma that had been portrayed by the international community must be redressed, to ensure Africa, especially Ghana, gained its prominence to boost the tourism sector.

Tourism promotion

Mrs Gomashie added that the three-day event would begin with a two-day technical seminar, where experts would make presentations on topical issues with inputs from delegates.

Besides, she said, an exhibition would be mounted to showcase made in Ghana products as part of the tourism promotion drive, adding that the delegates would embark on a tour to the Central Region tourist sites.

While advising stakeholders in the tourism sector to learn fresh ideas during the conference, she urged all corporate organisations to support the conference through sponsorship.

Promote made-in -Ghana

In his address, the Chief Director of the MOTCCA, Nana Oduro Kwarteng, said Africa’s image had been dented, hence the need to redeem it.

Nana Kwarteng urged the media and public at large to patronise made in Ghana products and to support the crusade to promote Ghana, sell Ghana and buy Ghana.