|
|
| Ministry of Tourism - Ghana Ghanaisches Tourismus Ministerium |
Ministry of Tourism, Ghana Ghana Tourism | 
| | | Ghana - OFFICIAL WEBSITES | Ministry of Tourism Postal Address
P.O Box 4386 Accra Telephone: (+233-21) 666701 Fax:
(+233-21) 666182 | MINISTRY OF TOURISM Juliana Azumah Mensah  | Tourism Minister designate predicts more tourist attractions Ho, Jan 26, GNA - Mrs Juliana Azumah Mensah, Tourism Minister-designate on Monday indicated her resolve to see more tourists coming into the country once she took office.
She said she was fast studying her ministry to know its current position and to combine it with her experiences as a frequent traveller to make the country "tourist friendly". Source: GNA
|
| | | | Press statements and other sources: British investor calls for review of visa fees Bagbin chastises operators in hospitality industry Obama's visit to boost tourism earnings Tourism Ministry To Develop Historical Sites In Ga Mashie Ghana Launches Tourism Strategy MPs cry for Tourism Sector | 
Hon. Mrs Juliana Azumah Mensah, Minister for Tourism of the Republic of Ghana | | 17. February 2009 | "..it is difficult for me to understand why Ghana receives only a few thousand tourists in a year". Mrs Juliana Azumah Mensah | | | | | GNA, 18.11.2009 | British investor calls for review of visa fees | | | Ho, Nov. 18, GNA - High visa fees are a disincentive to potential European tourists wishing to visit Ghana, Mr Graham Smith a British investor said at the Volta Trade and Investment Fair in Ho on Tuesday.
He said Ghana has a lot of tourist attractions but high visa fees and the lengthy processes involved in acquiring such visas turned potential tourists away from the country.
"It is cheaper and much easier to get visa for South Africa, Namibia and Botswana though the distance from the United Kingdom to those countries is longer than Ghana" Mr Graham said.
"This situation is affecting business and tourism as individual European tourists, students and investors find it cheaper and easier travelling to the south", Mr Smith said.
He therefore appealed to the government to urgently review visa fees, air tickets, ease visa requirements and make them easily accessible to promote tourism and business in the country.
The "National Tourism Marketing Strategy 2009 - 2012: Making Tourism the lead sector of Ghana's economy" shows that "Senegal's visa fees ranges from 3.15 pounds to 10.50 pounds for visas for one to 90 days. Citizens of European Union member states do not require visas for a visit up to 90 days." "In contrast, visas to Ghana cost 30 pounds for a single entry and take between four and 10 working days to process." The publication said "currently out of the four sub-regional blocs in Africa (Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western) West Africa has the smallest share of visitors."
It predicted that Africa will have an additional 27 million tourists by 2010 and 57 million by 2015. The publication put Ghana's target at one million tourists by 2012. 18 Nov. 09 | | GNA, 23.11.2009 | Bagbin chastises operators in hospitality industry | | | Mr Alban S. K. Bagbin, Majority Leader in Parliament on Monday chastised operators in the hospitality industry for poor working ethics.
He expressed dissatisfaction about services at the Holy Trinity SPA Centre at Sogakope, in spite of the huge investment in the edifice.
Mr Bagbin claimed that services at the centre was poor, whilst some of the waiters and waitresses have poor working ethics and "walk away while you are talking to them".
"I have registered my concern to the management to institute measures to train their staff. The service I and other members of parliament faced at the centre was not in isolation. Most of our hospitality centres lack trained staff," Mr Bagbin said at the launch of the Ghana Tourist Guide in Accra.
The Holy Trinity SPA and Health Farm offer various services including scientific relaxation and rejuvenation, vacationing, honeymoon, luxury pampering, stress management, beauty therapy, professional counselling, adventure, and detoxification.
The maiden comprehensive tourist guide, published in four languages, English, French, Spanish and German was authored by Ms Rose Agodoa a final year student of the Institute of Professional Studies.
The Majority Leader, who launched the book, challenged operators in the industry not to allow lateness (African Punctuality) to serve as a disincentive to the growth of the tourism sector.
Mr Bagbin who is the Member of Parliament for Nadowli West arrived at the venue 20 minutes before the programme and waited for about 30 minutes before business commenced.
Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah, Minister of Tourism called for private- state partnership for the development and promotion of the tourism industry stressing that the government was committed to creating a conducive environment for sustainable development and growth of tourism.
Mrs. Azumah-Mensah, said currently, tourism was the country's fourth highest foreign exchange earner after gold, cocoa and remittances from Ghanaians resident abroad.
The first two copies of the book was bought for 2,500 Ghana Cedis by the Ministry of Tourism and the Majority Leader. | | July, 3th 2009 | Obama's visit to boost tourism earnings | | DISTRICTS of GHANA MAP of GHANA GHANA KARTE | Accra, July 3, GNA - Mrs. Juliana Azumah-Mensah, Minister of Tourism, noted on Friday that President Barrack Obama's visit to Ghana this month presents a chance in a lifetime to push tourism to the third highest foreign exchange earner for the country.
She told journalists in Accra that last year tourism earning stood at US$1.4 billion, placing fourth to cocoa, gold and remittances. "But with Barrack Obama's visit and other tourism activities in the pipeline this year, the sector was expected to generate between 16 to 20 per cent revenue, more than it did last year and thereby take its rightful place as the third highest foreign exchange earner," she said. Mr. Azumah-Mensah made the remark at the launch of World Tourism Day, Panafest and Emancipation Day celebrations as well as the Tourism aspect of President Barrack Obama's visit to Ghana.
She noted that President Obama's visit, slated for July 10 to 12, promised to give the world a glimpse of Ghana's golden culture through the eyes of the 300 international journalists coming to cover the visit.
"Our heritage and culture tourism resource will be given a massive publicity worldwide so Ghana must take advantage of it and hang out all her best wares to be captured by the cameras," she said. She therefore urged players in the domestic tourism industry to highlight the tourism opportunities that existed in Ghana to enhance domestic earnings for economic growth.
Mr. Kobby Acheampong, Deputy Minister of Tourism said, on the back of President Obama's visit, Ghana would launch an aggressive sales campaign to attract wealthy black Americans to come, live and spend in Ghana, saying, "we will start town hall meeting in black communities in the United States to promote our tourism opportunities". He also said travel and tourism clubs would also be established in schools and churches as a way of boosting domestic tourism. Just days after President has concluded his visit, Panafest and Emancipation Day would come off from July 16 to August 1, on the theme: "Our heritage, our strength."
The occasion would be marked with activities such as wreath laying, durbars, a reverential night and Pan African Conference and Awards Night.
Mr. Azumah-Mensah said the United Nations World Tourism Organization had also chosen Ghana to host this year's World Tourism Day celebration slated for September 21 - 27.
She said the World Tourism Day would be on the theme: "Tourism Celebrating Diversity- and would be marked with activities such as a tour for the local press and travel writers, tree planting along Lake Bosomtwe and a think-tank on the theme.
The minister urged Ghanaians to participate fully in all the events to ensure that Ghana took full advantage of the opportunities they offered to boost efforts at reaching the over one million tourists target by 2012.
She called on the media to support the ministry in publicizing the good image of the country during "this crucial and most opportune period", in the history of the country.
| Daily Graphic
Thu, 29 Jun 2009 | Tourism Ministry To Develop Historical Sites In Ga Mashie | | | The Ministry of Tourism has launched a project aimed at developing the Ussher Fort, the James Fort, the Brazil House and the Jacobus House, all historical monuments in Accra, into tourist attractions.
Under the project, the area where these historical monuments stand will also be given a facelift. Additionally, the project will improve general sanitation and enhance economic activities in the Ga Mashie area.
It also seeks to rehabilitate the Ussher Fort as envisaged by the Ussher Fort Restoration Project proposal which was prepared in August 2007.
At a sensitisation seminar on improving tourism in Ga Mashie, the Minister of Tourism, Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah, said despite the availability of a lot of tourist facilities in the community, Ga Mashie did not seem to be on the tourism map of Ghana.
She said even though the first port of call in Ghana by foreign tourists was Accra, very few people visited the area.
She noted that a critical look at the community would reveal a rich cultural heritage manifested by its tangible structures consisting of forts, mansions, lodges, warehouses and former headquarters of prosperous European and African trading companies.
She added that religious ceremonies, festivals, traditional music and dance could also be utilised to benefit the community through tourism.
Mrs Azumah-Mensah commended UNESCO-Ghana and the European Commission for facilitating and financing the first phase of the Ussher Fort project.
She also commended the Brazilian Embassy in Ghana for funding the rehabilitation of the Brazil House into a spectacular edifice.
The Project Director of the Ga Mashie Development Agency, Mr Gabriel Nii Teiko Tagoe, said the transfer of the activities at the James Town Harbour to the Tema Harbour in 1967 caused the former to lose its economic base, without compensation or the possibility to expand geographically.
He said the basic social needs of the communities were far from being satisfactory, saying that the living conditions of most inhabitants were even worse than the poorest current rural standards.
“The small-scale economic activities which survived barely made it possible for the population to sustain itself.
Water is still difficult to access, roads are in bad condition, the sewerage system is only scantily existing, drainage is largely inadequate, garbage litters the streets and the sanitary situation is deplorable.
Thus, once a vibrant area, Old Accra is classified today in current planning documents as a slum,” he lamented.
Source: Daily Graphic - | Daily Graphic
Thu, 25 Jun 2009 | Ghana Launches Tourism Strategy | | | An ambitious tourism marketing strategy aimed at making Ghana the most preferred tourism destination in West Africa has been launched in Accra.
The three-year marketing strategy, spanning 2009-2012, is anchored on the campaign theme, “Ghana - Culture, warmth and much more”, whose trumpeting through the media and printing on clothes, T-shirts and other paraphernalia, is expected to lure international and local tourists to savour the rich Ghanaian culture, proverbial warm hospitality and a repertoire of its splendid tourism endowment.
The ambition is to increase tourism arrivals in the country from the current 600,000 to at least one million by 2012, a target whose achievement is likely to propel Ghana up the tourism ladder in West Africa ahead of Senegal, which at the moment is considered to be the most preferred tourism destination in the sub-region.
With an initial budget of GH¢15 million, the strategy involves the development and aggressive projection of Ghana’s tourism potentials to the world, targeting tourists in the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Germany, The Netherlands, Nigeria and Ghanaians living at home and abroad.
Acknowledging the huge financial commitment needed to pull through that ambitious enterprise, officials of the Ghana Tourist Board (GTB) intend to explore every avenue to raise funds, including making appeals and going cup-in-hand to corporate Ghana, the donor community and other partners, for its successful execution.
The idea of developing a national tourism marketing strategy was by courtesy of the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA), which, in 2006, initiated a public-private partnership to review past strategy and adopt new trends in the industry.
It was also based on the recognition that tourism is the fastest-growing industry in the world and the possibility of making it become the leading sector of Ghana’s economy.
Currently, the tourism sector is the fourth-highest foreign exchange earner for Ghana and makes huge contribution to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and job creation.
Launching the tourism blueprint, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Ablekuma South, Mr Fritz Baffour, said Ghana had one of the best tourism endowments in the world, adding that the country had the potential to become the most preferred tourism destination in Africa.
The Minister of Tourism, Madam Juliana Azumah-Mensah, suggested the adoption of a national marketing approach by branding Ghana and selling it to the world.
She identified quality service delivery as a critical factor to survive the keen competition in the world tourism sector. Ghana must, therefore, position itself well in order to survive the competition.
“No tourism marketing strategy will yield positive results if tourism sites remain un-developed,” the minister pointed out.
The Executive Director of GTB, Mr Martin Mireku, described the strategy as very positive, adding that if it was implemented to the letter, it would be successful.
The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Mr Gideon Quarcoo, who chaired the function, lauded the initiative, saying it underscored the point that any good thing that started under one government should not be abandoned by its successor.
Source: Daily Graphic
| | February 17, 2009 | We need to put Ghana on the world tourism map – Minister | | | Mrs Juliana Azumah-Mensah, the new Minister of Tourism, on Tuesday asked the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), to help Ghana conduct a study to establish why it was not yet on the tourism map of the world. She said for Ghana to be on the world tourism map would means it would be one of the countries in the world that a tourist would like to visit once in a lifetime. Mrs. Azumah-Mensah said Ghana had all it took to attract millions of tourists as it had peace and a stable democracy, but had not been able to attract tourists as it should. She said these when Mr. Francesco Frangialli, Secretary-General of the United Nations World Tourism Organization, visited her to discuss this year’s World Tourism Day celebration, which would be hosted by Ghana. World Tourism Day is celebrated on September 27 every year to draw attention to tourism potentials and how countries could use tourism to alleviate poverty. Mrs Azumah-Mensah said: “Our people are hospitable; we are rich in diverse culture and history which should attract visitors. Even though we cannot compare our wildlife to that of East African countries like Kenya, Ghana also has some wildlife and natural beautiful scenery worth seeing. With all these and other attractions, "it is difficult for me to understand why Ghana receives only a few thousand tourists in a year". She added: "I need the UNWTO to assist in finding out the causes of Ghana’s inability to attract tourists". Mrs Azumah-Mensah explained that Ghana was not advocating for mass tourism - but needed to attract more tourists to help create more jobs and also eliminate poverty especially in the rural areas. She commended UNWTO for choosing Ghana as one of the countries to benefit from the Sustainable Tourism for Eliminating Poverty (ST-EP) programme, which was currently being implemented in the Western and Northern regions. The ST-EP programme introduced by the UNWTO was aimed at using education and tourism to eliminate poverty and it had so far established eight libraries in eight communities to encourage education and also create awareness about tourism. Mrs Azumah-Mensah urged UNWTO to assist the Ministry to review training standards in the hospitality industry to ensure that Ghana acted in line with the international standards. Mr Frangialli narrated the history of the establishment of the UNWTO and said it was a full fledged organization like UNESCO committed to using tourism as a tool to eliminate poverty. He said UNWTO paid more attention to poor and developing countries and it was prepared to work with Ghana to make it a preferred tourism destination. “Tourism is like a chain with links, when one link is broken it does not work,” Mr Frangialli said, and explained that the tourism sector needed other sectors to make it work successfully. He said when a tourist visited a country, he or she did not only need the services of a hotel and restaurant but also good taxis or transport system, good security, stable economy, among other things, to make a person enjoy a country. Mr Frangialli, therefore, urged the Minister to work with other sectors of the economy to enable the tourism industry to work properly. He also commented on Ghana hosting of this year’s World Tourism Day event on the theme: “Tourism Celebrates Diversity,” and urged the ministry to prepare well since doing that well could put Ghana on the tourism map. As part of the preparation towards the celebration on the World Tourism Day, the Ministry set up a committee last year to plan and draw programme that would draw the attention of the world to Ghana. Mr. Charles Osei Bonsu, Deputy Director of the Ghana Tourist Board, who chairs the committee, said they were still preparing the programme and pointed out that they would hold forums in every region, have a National Tourism Exhibition and organize other activities that would showcase Ghana as a good destination. Some beneficiaries of the ST-EP programme also shared their experiences and urged the Ministry to set aside a month that would be used for tourism awareness where tourism programmes and activities and as well as benefits would be highlighted to get the general public interested in tourism. Mrs Bridget Katsriku, Chief Director of the Ministry, hoped that tourism would be decentralized to ensure that every region developed their tourism activities to suit its people.
Souce: GNA
| | | | | | | | Other Sources: | | Daily Graphic, June 30, 2009 | MPs cry for Tourism Sector | | | TOURISM, one of the major income earners for the country, is said to be facing serious challenges, compelling Members of Parliament (MPs) to appeal to government to give priority attention to the sector.
It has been suggested that with adequate resources and focus, tourism could be the number one foreign exchange earner in Ghana, surpassing the traditional commodity like cocoa.
Among the challenges hindering the smooth operations of the tourism sector and indeed Ghana Tourist Board (GTB) are inadequate infrastructure, especially receptive and training facilities, websites insufficient funding for activities and marketing programmes.
Others are lack of District and Overseas Tourism Offices, old vehicles and scarce office equipment, inadequate Human Resource and high turnover of staff due to poor remuneration.
MP for Bosome-Freho, Hon. Nana Yaw Ofori-Kuragu, who brought these challenges to light in a statement on the floor of Parliament yesterday as a prelude to Panafest 2009, scheduled to take place from July 16 to August 1 2009, appealed to government to make adequate provision for the Ministry of Tourism in this year's supplementary budget.
Panafest, which is expected to bring tourism revenue to the country, is organized by the Panafest Foundation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, biennially for Africans and people of African decent, as well as persons committed to the well-being of Africans on the continent and in Diaspora.
According to Hon. Ofori-Kuragu, Panafest is an essential tool for marketing Ghana abroad, especially to the United States, which is Ghana's number one international market segment, adding, “in this regard, GTB is responsible for marketing Ghana international”, very limited resources.
The MP for Bosome-Freho has urged Ghana Immigration Service to furnish the GTB with Tourism arrivals data, to enable the Board to maintain accurate records for planning and marketing purposes
He also called on government to create a Tourism Development Fund and National Tourism Development Policy to support the tourism sub-sector and to take steps to establish a Tourism Training University to improve service delivery in the industry.
MP for Takoradi, Hon. Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, added his voice to the call for more resources to the Ministry of Tourism whose budgetary allocation has been drastically cut in the 2009 budget, adding “we need to develop and encourage domestic tourism in the country”.
On her part, Hon. Cecilia Abena Dapaah, MP for Bantama, noted that countries like Kenya and South Africa are accruing so much revenue from tourism because of the investment in the sector, urging Ghana to do same.
By Awudu Mahama
| | | |
| |
| | | | |
|
|