The funding will include Ghana’s appearance on a CNN programme, CNN Eye on Ghana Project, an initiative to use the CNN network to market Ghana‘s tourism at the global level. The programme is estimated to cost Ghana some US$1.5 million.
“This is part of efforts to showcase the country’s tourism and investment potential to extensively influential business and leisure travellers and investors from across the world,” the 2013 Budget Statement indicated.
Ghana boasts several tourist attractions in heritage, culture, nature, including beaches and ecology and serves as a perfect destination for conventions.
In January, The New York Times listed Accra as one of the best destinations in the world for business and pleasure for 2013.
Accra came fourth out of the 46 places the influential newspaper recommended that its readers visit this year.
Efforts to develop the tourism industry over the past two decades is paying off gradually, although many industry players believe more could be done to promote the industry. Tourism is part of the services sector which together contribute a total 49.3 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The government has prepared a new 15-year National Tourism Development Plan (2013 – 2027) which is expected to enhance the contribution of tourism sector to national and local economic development.
The Tourism Ministry has also engaged the Tourvest Investment Group of South Africa and secured their interest to invest in the ecologies of Mole and Kakum National Parks, as well as sites in the Shai Hills.
The government in 2012 set up the Tourism Development Fund to facilitate the transformation of the Ghana Tourist Board into Ghana Tourism Authority. The fund is expected to help to develop and promote the sector sustainably.
According to the 2013 Budget Statement, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts will continue to carry out its mandate of making Ghana the preferred tourist destination in Africa and to make tourism a lead sector for foreign exchange generation and employment creation in line with the Tourism Sector Medium Term Development Plan.
“To this end, the ministry will focus on aggressive promotion of Ghana and re-packaging of the diverse tourism products for higher international and domestic patronage.
Source: http://graphic.com.gh/General-News/govt-set-to-transform-tourism-industry.html
Paulina says: I see Ghana’s Tourism board or authority or whatever they
call themselves have been reading my Ghana Rising blog (laughter). Only I think
the article above is...errrmmm hogwash!!!
There isn’t one person in that department that's elegant or well-travelled enough to do that job.
The truth of the matter is.....when said body hasn't even acknowledged the biggest event to hit Ghana, -the Ghana fashion & Design Week, or have at least one functioning website that boast all the fabulously glorious high-end restaurants, hotels & boutique hotels, bars & clubs, shopping malls, fashion boutiques, a list of resorts and yummy beaches, or even have a social calendar of upcoming major events in Ghana etc etc -how on earth will they be able to, "re-package of the diverse tourism products for higher international and domestic patronage"????
They know nothing of their target customers. They don't know how to appeal to the few groups of people still travelling in this economic down turn.
They don't know what students, the voluntary holidaying sectors (who tend to want to engage in worthwhile causes in Ghana namely children’s homes and Northern Ghana) or the business class (those who have meetings or are looking for business opportunities in Ghana), adventure seekers and 'real' high net worth luxury travellers, those sybaritic uber rich who do not want to slum it in any way-whats-sooo-ever..
The truth of the matter is.........there is no one in Ghana’s tourist board --who is elegant or well travelled enough to understand any of these groups –full stop. I wish them the best, but will suggest they out source this department or approach me personally for a list of Ghanaians in the diaspora that I feel will be fab for this errrmmm colossal task......
There isn’t one person in that department that's elegant or well-travelled enough to do that job.
The truth of the matter is.....when said body hasn't even acknowledged the biggest event to hit Ghana, -the Ghana fashion & Design Week, or have at least one functioning website that boast all the fabulously glorious high-end restaurants, hotels & boutique hotels, bars & clubs, shopping malls, fashion boutiques, a list of resorts and yummy beaches, or even have a social calendar of upcoming major events in Ghana etc etc -how on earth will they be able to, "re-package of the diverse tourism products for higher international and domestic patronage"????
They know nothing of their target customers. They don't know how to appeal to the few groups of people still travelling in this economic down turn.
They don't know what students, the voluntary holidaying sectors (who tend to want to engage in worthwhile causes in Ghana namely children’s homes and Northern Ghana) or the business class (those who have meetings or are looking for business opportunities in Ghana), adventure seekers and 'real' high net worth luxury travellers, those sybaritic uber rich who do not want to slum it in any way-whats-sooo-ever..
The truth of the matter is.........there is no one in Ghana’s tourist board --who is elegant or well travelled enough to understand any of these groups –full stop. I wish them the best, but will suggest they out source this department or approach me personally for a list of Ghanaians in the diaspora that I feel will be fab for this errrmmm colossal task......
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