Chairman of the Tour Operators Union of Ghana Advisory Board who is also the Managing Director of DODI Travel and Tour, Ahmed Naaman, has revealed that over 23 travel and tour agencies in Kumasi alone have collapsed due to COVID-19.

Speaking to Francis Doku on Ghana’s only tourism show on 3FM 92.7 last Sunday, Ahmed Naaman indicated that the shutdown was a result of low patronage.

"Honestly, as I am speaking to you, in Kumasi only since last year lockdown up to now, over 23 travel and tour agencies have collapsed."

“Those that I know have shut down and they are doing different businesses to put food on the table so people are selling clothes and some have ended up in all kind of trades and that’s very depressing," he said.

President Nana Akufo-Addo announced a lockdown in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area and the Greater Kumasi Metropolitan area last year March 30 due to the Coronavirus outbreak. All individuals were advised to stay home and will only be permitted to leave their homes for essential items such as food, medicine and bank transactions.

In his response to a question on whether or not land borders should be reopened to help boost domestic tourism especially looking at how this year Easter celebration a year on is being celebrated, Mr. Naaman was of the view that “we do not want to interfere in the work of doctors and scientist however looking at the current situation."

“We could have allowed some tourist sites to be patronized by revellers by ensuring that they wear mask in order to push down the awareness down many observers.”