Ghanatodayonline.com News, Politics, Health, Education & More
President of the Republic Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo claims that since taking office in 2017, his administration has implemented policies and programs that have helped the nation develop a booming tourism industry.
“We want to use tourism as an effective vehicle for economic development, which will help to create jobs and wealth for the people,” said President Akufo-Addo.
To increase tourist arrivals this year and in the future, the government is spending extensively on key tourist attractions with the help of international partners.
Speaking on Friday, September 30, 2022, during the official opening of the Alisa Hotel’s Tema branch, the President noted that the hospitality industry accounts for two (2) out of every ten (10) employment in the nation and is the third largest contributor to the GDP after cocoa and oil and gas.
President Akufo-Addo informed the audience that following the recovery of the hospitality and tourism industries, “after Government undertook some bold and decisive measures, which saved lives, livelihoods, and businesses, as well as through the global easing of (COVID-19) restrictions,” Government has put plans in place to construct a cutting-edge tourism and hospitality training school in Accra.
“The ten-million-US-dollar (US$10 million) facility will serve West Africa, and provide customer care training to operators in the tourism and hospitality value chain. When customers are happy and delighted, they do not only stay longer in hotels, but also spend more, and likely to return in the future with family and friends. Building the capacity of tourism players is, therefore, important in our quest to be the tourism destination of West Africa,” he stated.
The President stated that the government will be concentrating on utilizing Ghana’s culture, tradition, history, hospitality, and stunning natural beauty over the next eighteen (18) months to draw visitors, fun-lovers, and leisure seekers looking to have a unique experience in Africa.
The government has started a product enhancement strategy, he said, and various tourism destinations in the nation are presently undergoing site restorations. He also mentioned the wealth of natural resources.
These include the Kumasi-based Kente Museum, Yaa Asantewaa Memorial Museum, and Aburi Botanical Gardens.
“This year alone, it is expected that some twenty-five million United States dollars ($25 million) will be expended to upgrade some of our iconic sites, including the famous Elmina and Cape Coast Castles, the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, the Mole and Kakum Parks, and cultural Museums in Yendi in the Northern Region, Ejisu in the Ashanti Region, Akropong in the Eastern Region, and Ho in the Volta Region, under the Ghana Tourism Development Project, supported by the World Bank,” he added.
The President said, “This Project is projected to establish the tourist and hospitality industries as essential drivers of social and economic growth, with a total estimated value of forty million US dollars ($40 million).
The initiative is anticipated to have a positive impact on Ghana’s tourism market, the supply of tourism goods and services, and the skill level of the labor force in the tourism, arts, and cultural sectors.
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
