The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture has dedicated resources to bolster youth-driven initiatives in the tourism sector, allocating a substantial GH¢100 million.
Revealing this development in Accra on Monday, August 14, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, emphasized the government’s commitment to transforming the narrative surrounding tourism, arts, and cultural advancement.
During an interaction with a group of esteemed editors, Dr Awal highlighted the ministry’s plans to enhance the sector by providing comprehensive training to 6,000 young individuals across the tourism value chain, focusing on customer orientation.
Driven by its promising potential, tourism has emerged as the country’s third-largest contributor to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). In 2021, the sector’s contribution amounted to approximately $3.1 billion. Projections indicate a rise to around $4 billion in GDP contribution by 2025.
The services sector, encompassing tourism, took the lead by contributing 45.8 percent to the GDP at basic prices in the previous year, solidifying its pivotal role.
Dr Awal articulated his office’s aspiration to establish the country as a hub for Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, and Events (MICE), alongside business tourism. He underscored the potential for leveraging the nation’s tranquility, excellent airport facilities, and connectivity to bolster the tourism industry.
Furthermore, the government is actively advocating the “Destination Ghana Project,” a four-year initiative aimed at drawing in two million international visitors and an equivalent number of domestic tourists, fostering tourism growth and engagement within the country.
“We are going to modernise the Du Bois Centre next year, the Osu Christiansburg Castle and other tourist attractions.
We are doing a lot outside Accra to attract tourists, both domestic and international. The ministry will build new museums across the country and a heroes’ park for the Big Six,” Dr Awal explained.
As part of its endeavors to prioritize tourism, arts, and culture, the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture emphasized that the ministry has undertaken several interactions with various stakeholders, encompassing the business sector, academia, and the diplomatic community.
On his part, the Minister of Information, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah, emphasized the importance of forging partnerships with the media to elevate the sector’s prominence.
Referring to the sector as a significant driver of the country’s economic progress, Mr. Oppong-Nkrumah emphasized that the recent interventions have played a pivotal role in advancing the economy. Consequently, he urged the media to raise awareness about the nation’s tourism, arts, and cultural domains by giving them prominent coverage.
In this regard, the Information Minister highlighted the media’s responsibility to report on sector developments, medium-term plans, policies, programs, and also facilitate constructive feedback.
Furthermore, Mr. Oppong-Nkrumah underscored the importance of the media’s role in fostering partnerships and fostering closer collaboration within the tourism, creative arts, and culture sector.
In a presentation titled “Ghana’s Journey in Tourism,” Akwasi Agyeman, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), highlighted deliberate endeavors to enhance the appeal of tourism product offerings.
Concurrently, there has been a robust marketing campaign over the past five years, bolstered by the introduction of legislation aimed at enhancing the sector’s attractiveness.
Mr. Agyeman also acknowledged the sector’s strides in monitoring and research to enhance various facets of tourism. These endeavors encompass revitalizing and elevating the vibrancy of Accra’s nightlife, revitalizing craft villages, and contributing to the development of a distinctive enclave culture within the nation’s capital, Accra.