Tema, Sept. 23, GNA – The Tema Regional Office of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) would on September 24 tour some selected tourism sites in the region at part of activities to commemorate World Tourism Day.
The tour, dubbed “Tour with Tema” will witness patrons visiting some tourism destinations including: the Tsenku Waterfall, near Dodowa; Guggisberg Memorial Hall; Dodowa Forest; and the Shai Hills Resources Reserve all in the Shai-Osudoku District of the Greater Accra Region.
Participants would also undertake the Greenwich Meridian Line Walk, at Community One in Tema.
Mr Charles Buabin, GTA Tema Regional Director, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview at Tema ahead of the global commemoration on September 27, that the day will be marked at the Shai Hills Resources Reserve on the theme: “Tourism for Inclusive Growth”.
The day is celebrated 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.
Mr Buabin said the tour, is expected to promote domestic tourism and make Ghana a preferred tourist destination not only in West Africa and Africa but globally.
He described the tour as a remarkable step towards the gradual recovery of the tourism sector.
According to him, the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, in conjunction with the Ghana Tourism Authority, had planned a four-day activity to mark the Day and discuss the theme, “Tourism for Inclusive Growth” to convey tourism’s role in ensuring inclusive growth for communities and national development.
He noted that the 2021 World Tourism Organisation (WTO) Day Planning Committee had slated September 24 for holding the Public and Private Partnership (PPP) forum.
The forum is expected to bring together the public and private tourism sector stakeholders, relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), NGOs, and Development Partners, to interface and dialogue progress, achievements, and failures of the Tourism sector at Ho in Volta Region.
The Tema Regional Director said the stakeholder engagement and interaction was to proffer planning toward addressing the teething complications of tourism growth and development, to support the creation of jobs and employment, and revenue mobilisation for national development.
Activities lined up for the celebration includes: Radio and TV discussions in the regions, planting of about 6,000 seedlings at major tourist sites across the country on September 25, Health Walk, mountain Afadjato Hiking Challenge, for which three winners will be declared and awarded; and Visits to Wli and Tagbo falls in the Volta Region.
The Grand Finale, which encapsulates fairs and exhibitions and WTO Day Durbar of chiefs, to climax the activities on Monday, September 27 at Hohoe in the Volta Region.
Mr Buabin said this year’s theme was linked to outcome four and five of Governments’ 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.
The official “International” World Tourism Day is held in a WTO-designated country with participation from the rest of the world; and this year’s Day will be held in Cote d’Ivoire to essentially highlight a participatory approach to creating and sharing tourism wealth for poverty reduction, decency in living standards, and livelihoods security.
GNA