Tourism To Fetch 1.6bC In 15 Years

Kumasi, -- Ghana under its 15-year Integrated National Tourism Development Programme is expected to earn 1.6 billion dollars annually from the tourism sector by the year 2010. Mr Owuraku Amofa, Deputy Minister of Tourism, who announced this said it is envisaged that the nation will receive one million visitors yearly by the period. He was addressing the closing ceremony of a one-day seminar to discuss the Draft Ashanti Regional Tourism Development Plan at the Georgia Hotel in Kumasi. It was attended by members of the traditional councils and district assemblies, tour operators, investors and Non-Governmental Organisations. Mr Amofa said the government is committed providing the necessary infrastructure to enable the private sector to develop the tourism industry. Mr H. K. Ablordeppey, President of the Ghana Tourism Federation, said with the current annual growth rate of 15 per cent, tourism holds bright future prospects for the country. He advised operators of tourism receptive facilities to break away from the cycle of mediocrity and improve on the quality of their services to meet acceptable standards. Mr Ablordeppey suggested the review and an update of existing tourism policies to bring them in line with current efforts to sustain the sector.