A Ghana Tourism Summit meeting took place at The Waldorf Hilton, London on the 18th June with the aim of establishing Ghana as an attractive tourist and investment destination for foreign visitors.
The opening address was given by His Excellency Papa Owusu-Ankomah, High Commisioner to UK & Ireland, who observed that whilst tourism in Ghana offered huge potential, it was necessary to aspire to global standards. He went on to note, “In Africa’s search for sustainable development, we see tourism as a major, major platform because it provides employment, generates foreign exchange and when properly positioned, it can be a substantial foreign exchange earner. In Ghana, we are told that tourism is the third largest foreign exchange earner, however, it is still too small with regards to our potentials. So a fair like this, is designed to see how in the medium to long term, tourism can be boosted in Ghana. That is why for the first time, the Ghana Tourism Authority seeks to reach out to tour operators in the United Kingdom, the business community and of course the Ghanaian diasporan.
It was then the turn of Upper West musician Wiyaala, who not only sang to unite all Africans, but also spoke passionately in giving a case study of the attractions, the cultural scene, hospitality and agricultural potential of the Upper West Region. Bollie of Reggie & Bollie fame, spoke enthusiastically of the reasons why Ghana should be taken seriously when talking about tourism in Africa.
The event was well attended by dignitaries from Ghana, The United Kingdom and others from the diaspora and included a mini-documentary video showcasing Ghana’s beautiful beaches, castles, forts and other tourist’s attractions that abound in Ghana.
On the panel for a lively questions and answers discussion, was Mr Kofi Addo, Head of Trade and Investments from Ghana Embassy London, Mr Edward Ackah-Nyameke president of Ghana Hotels Association and Kwame Ansong the Chief Executive Officer of Sun-seekers Tours who were selling Ghana in the best possible light. Madam Stella Appenteng the Chief Executive Officer of Apstar Tours and Dentaa Amoateng MBE, C.E.O and Founder of G.U.B.A also added their knowledge and expertise in the travel and touring domain. The Chairwoman of the event, Madam Adelaide Ahwireng was able to navigate the Ghanaian tourism narrative in an enriched discourse by calling on all attendees to support tourism in Ghana.
