Joyce Adwoa Animia Ocran
Ghana’s Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, has called on African Tourism Ministers to pursue sustainable tourism practices to protect the environment and ensure communities benefit from the tourism diffident.
He made the call when Ghana was elected to the United
Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Executive Council in Mauritius last
Thursday.
He stated, "It will be recalled that President Nana
Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo recently tasked the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and
Culture to implement innovative strategies to make tourism, arts and culture
contribute effectively to national development. He also directed the Ministry
to ensure that international tourist arrivals reach two million by 2025 with a
corresponding receipt of $6 billion annually."
Dr. Awal pledged Ghana's commitment to helping put travel
and tourism at the summit of the global development agenda.
He called for investment in tourism infrastructure and
building the capacity of operators in the tourism value chain to enhance the
continent's competitiveness.
Five other countries also got elected to the council namely
Nigeria, Rwanda, Namibia, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The election of Council members was the highlight of
activities at the 66th UNWTO Commission for Africa meeting on the theme:
Rethinking Tourism for Africa: Addressing global challenges; Promoting
investment and partnerships.
The new members would be formally approved at the next
General Assembly meeting of the UNWTO in Uzbekistan in October this year.