Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority, (GTA) Akwasi Agyeman
The authority wants to hit a target of 600,000 foreign tourists
Strong security presence available for ‘Beyond the Return’
Tourism Industry working with private sector to boost development
Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority, (GTA) Akwasi Agyeman has disclosed the tourism sector’s plans towards the improvement in the patronage of Ghana’s tourist sites by foreign tourists.
According to him, Ghana received about 400,000 foreign travelers who paid visits to the country’s tourist sites this year. The authority is however targeting to increase this figure to 600,000.
Speaking at the 2020 National Tourism Authority Awards organized by the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Agyeman said, the tourism business has demonstrated extraordinary passion and innovation.
He also called for increased partnerships to support the sector.
“Tonight, we use the platform to talk about the partnership that we are forging with the private sector. Our industry needs everybody, so we are all coming together, whether you are the Chef Association who were honored tonight, the tour operators union of Ghana, who was also here in their numbers, everybody must stick together, build together and make sure that by next year looking at the numbers that we have started registering now, we are hopeful that next year we will grow even better.
“This year our target was six hundred thousand. As of September 2021, we have choked about four hundred and eleven thousand. So, it means that October, November, December, once the figures come in, we will be maybe closer to our six hundred thousand. And that will give us the impetus to move into 2022,” he said.
The GTA boss further expressed confidence in the strong security service which will be accessible to all participants during this year’s ‘Beyond the Return’ activities.
“I’m more than confident. We met with the Ghana Police Service, the national security, the Ghana fire service, and the Ghana immigration service. They have their eyes on the board and I’m very hopeful,” he stated.