Accra, Sept. 26, GNA – Ghana will join the rest of the world on Monday September 27, to celebrate this year’s United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) World Tourism Day in Hohoe in the Volta Region.
The day, which was set aside by the UNWTO, is celebrated every year to herald the socio-economic, political, and cultural importance of the Sector to national and international economies through Gross Domestic Product growth, jobs, and employment creation.
The official World Tourism Day is held in a World Tourism Organisation (WTO) designated country with participation from the rest of the world. This year’s (2021) Day will be held in Cote d’Ivoire in Africa on the theme, “Tourism for Inclusive Growth”.
The theme for this year is essential to highlight a participatory approach to creating and sharing tourism wealth for poverty reduction, decency in living standards, and livelihoods security.
As the United Nations specialized agency responsible for sustainable tourism, the UNWTO is guiding the global sector toward inclusive recovery and growth as well as ensuring appropriate governance among communities, minorities, and the youth.
In Ghana, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, in conjunction with the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), has planned some activities to mark the Day and discuss the theme, to convey tourism’s role in ensuring inclusive growth for communities and national development.
There will be Radio/TV discussions in the regions, a Health Walk; an Afadjato Hiking Challenge, for which three winners were declared and awarded; and Visits to Wli & Tagbo falls.”
The grand finale, which encapsulates fairs, exhibitions, and WTO Day Durbar of chiefs, as a climax activity, would be held on Monday, September 27, at Hohoe in the Volta region.
Mr Akwasi Agyeman, Chief Executive Officer, GTA, said the theme was linked to outcomes four and five of Government’s Programme of Action that sought to create decent employment through inclusive economic growth, and a skilled and vibrant workforce to support an inclusive growth path.
He said this time around, the Day would be aimed at creating an opportunity for the global tourism community to look beyond tourism statistics and acknowledged that, behind every number, there was a person.
“Unlocking the potential of the tourism eco-system, its extensive value chain and investments facilitation in tourism, can deliver more inclusive and sustainable growth in traditionally marginalized communities with huge tourism and other resources.”
Thus, expanding access to tourism education and delivering sector-specific training would give everybody the chance to benefit from tourism’s future growth.
GNA