Accra, June 8, GNA - Mrs. Efua Goode-Arthur, Director of EKGS Culinary Institute, has appealed to the Ministry of Tourism to encourage domestic tourism to avoid depending on foreign tourists. EKGS, an institute established in 1991, provides training programme in arts, bakery, decoration and food service graduated 102 students this year. She said foreign tourists themselves were also hit with the global economic crunch resulting in the promotion of internal tourism in respective countries.

Mrs. Good-Arthur said this at the 21st graduation ceremony of the Institute.

She called for measures to address the challenges in the industry in the face of the world financial crisis since it employed many people. Mrs. Good-Arthur suggested tourism clubs be established in second cycle schools to instil the essence of sightseeing and its benefits to people from their youthful days so that they would grow with it. "We will encourage our farmers to grow more, thereby reducing the cost of food which is the main drain in peoples pocket and at the same time reduce food import to spend our scares resources on other things," she said.

Mrs. Goode-Arthur congratulated and advice the graduates to continue to display the same tenacity and determination which saw them through the course.

Mrs. Juliana Azumah appealed to local entrepreneurs in a speech read for her to organize special events to display and sell their wares in order to entice potential spenders to patronize their goods. "The need to boost domestic tourism is important since the activity helps maintain the cultural purity and political cohesion of the country." Ms. Esther Cobbah, CEO of Stratcom Africa, appealed to the graduates to serve as role models to others who would want to emulate their decision to get themselves trained in culinary skills. She said in the midst of the difficulty and economic crisis, home grown policies needed to be fashioned so that Ghanaians could stand up to face economic challenges. 8 June 09