Parliament invited to observe ‘World Tourism Day’
By: Fatima Adam
Hon. Akua Sena Dansua, the Minister for Tourism, who doubles as the Member of Parliament for North Dayi, yesterday announced her invitation of Members of Parliament to join her outfit in the celebration of the ‘World Tourism Day and Grand Durbar,’ which will be held tomorrow at Akosombo.
According to her, the celebration would be in collaboration with the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and other countries, which Ghana is a member.
She said the event would focus on the importance of Tourism to national development, conservation of local cultures and the environment, and also provide a unique opportunity for stakeholders in communities and Districts to showcase their tourism potentials.
Hon. Dansua stated that the celebration would go further to discussed the linkages between tourism and other sectors; such as transport, manufacturing, agriculture, construction and services among others.
She noted that the theme of the celebration; “Tourism and sustainable Energy: Powering Sustainable Development,” would be in line with the role of Tourism in promoting sustainable energy usage for sustainable development.
“Hon. Members, the Tourism sector all over the world contributes to some of the world’s most innovative sustainable energy imitative. These include: energy efficient upgrades in aircrafts, the shift to renewable fuel for aviation and cruise liners, promotion of eco or green tourism,” among others.
Hon. Dansua stated that her outfit had created enormous economic opportunities and jobs for millions, generates foreign exchange, diversifies many economies and contributed to less polluted world.
“I wish at this point to urge colleagues to work closely with the Ministry of Tourism, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, Traditional Authorities, the Private Sector and other stakeholders to mobilize requisite funding for the development of our diverse historical, cultural or natural products and sites throughout the country”, she noted
Programmes lined up for the celebration include; radio and TV shows by experts to sensitize stakeholders on the relevance of the theme and it’s application to tourism, business operations, organization of tours to major tourist sites in the Regions and tree planting/cleaning of the environment by various tourist clubs.
She announced that the tours would not only sensitize key policy and decision makers but give the potentials of tourism in mobilizing domestic and international investment to improve the various tourist sites and products.
The Minister for Tourism used the opportunity to call on the August House and Development Partners to approve more funds to her outfit to help in the marketing and promotion of the sector in the international global tourist market.
She lamented that her outfit lack adequate funds for research, institutional and capacity building initiatives geared at professional and quality service delivery which would help improved Ghana’s competitiveness in the global tourism market.
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