Accra, Aug. 22, GNA – The celebration of World Tourism Day this year will be used to sensitise people about the role and relevance of road, rail, water and air transport in the tourism industry, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister of Tourism and Modernization of the Capital City, said on Monday.
He said the celebration would highlight the multi-sectoral nature of tourism and the key role of travelling and transport in the promotion and sustenance of tourism.
The Minister said this while launching this year’s World Tourism Day, which will be celebrated universally under the theme: “Travel and Tourism: An imaginary of Jules Verne to the reality of the 21St century”.
“We shall work together with the National Road Safety Committee, the MTTU and stakeholder transport organizations to sensitise the public on the need to make travel a pleasurable and safe activity, instead of the dangerous exercise that it is becoming on account of accidents resulting from a general disregard of the rules and regulations of driving”.
World Tourism Day, celebrated on the September 27, every year, is aimed at drawing attention to tourism and its role in the socio-economic development of nations, as well as its impact on harmony and unity among communities.
The event will be celebrated at the regional level and climaxed with a National celebration at Adasewase in the Atiwa district of the Eastern region where newly discovered attractions would be showcased. The Minister announced that a tour dubbed “African Beauty Queens Tour of Ghana,” would be organized by Miss Inna Patty, Miss Ghana 2004, as part of activities to celebrate this year’s World Tourism Day. The tour, he said, aims at exciting the interest of the international community in Ghana as “a quality, warm and friendly destination”.
The Ministry will also support a fair dubbed: “Eat Ghana, Drink Ghana” as part of the drive to promote locally prepared food and beverages, and also generate employment and create wealth. Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey urged travel and tour agencies to create attractive tour packages to tourist sites to boost domestic tourism. He said the event would be used to boost domestic tourism by exposing Ghanaians to numerous tourism attractions and facilitating visits to sites.
The Minister described domestic tourism as critical to the promotion of the industry, adding, “For every one international tourist visitation, there needs to be ten domestic tourists visitations. Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey called on Ghanaians to take advantage of the opportunity offered by the celebration of the Day to explore the country and excite themselves for recreation and education.
Source: GhanaWeb
