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Developing tourism in the RegionThe challenges of Tanga Tours

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Fri, 08 Aug 2008 | Print | E-Mail | PDF | Graphics Version
Travel/Tourism

AMONG the many untapped potentials that flourish in the Upper East Region, is the area of tourism.

It was for the purposes of taping these potentials, and unearthing more of such, that Tanga Tours was formed about sixteen months ago, and launched in January this year.

This was an initiative of a young Belgium tourist, Tom Vestraeten, who, after visiting the region and realizing its tourism potentials, developed a love for these tourist sites, and decided to form a Non-governmental Organization (NGO) called Tanga Tours.

According to him, the main objective of the organization was to use tourism as a tool for developing the region, and beyond. It is also to ensure that new more tourism sites are discovered and developed.

Unfortunately, this praiseworthy idea, by the foreigner, is faced with innumerable challenges, which seem to be thwarting the growth of the organization.

In an interview with Upper East File, a Supervisor of Tanga Tours, Bernard Abanga, said tourism in the region had been left behind, because most people think the Northern Region only encompasses Tamale, and as such would always end their tourist adventures in Tamale, and would not go to the rest of the north, which includes the Upper East and West regions.

This has always posed a challenge to the tourism sector in the Upper East and West regions.

Mr. Abanga said another area of concern, was the fact that most people in the region do not see tourism as a critical part of their life, and as a result, do not invest in it. This is gradually bankrupting Tanga Tours.

As a result of insufficient financial base, all the staff are volunteers, and since they are not motivated, some of them do not come to work, especially if they have other activities that would benefit them financially.

This sometimes keeps the offices of the organization closed. Some tourists have complained about the situation, and expressed their displeasure in that direction.

Mr. Abanga contended that the activities, of what he termed as “town boys”, who receive tourists before they get to know of the services of the organization, were also affecting its patronage, unhelpfully.

To address these challenges, Tanga Tours is selling out membership forms to interested members of the public, who would want to be part of it, so that it could expand its financial base, and give its activities a boost.

The organization also rents out bicycles, motorbikes, and a saloon car, to tourists who need them to get to their tourist destinations.

It has also sought the services of some people, and supplied them with its fliers at the various transport units, to promote the organization to tourists, upon their arrival at the transport stations. They are then given directions to the offices of the organization.

With its offices inside Black Star Hotel in Bolgatanga, the organization organizes accommodation, either within the hotel, or any other nearby hotel, for its clients, who are foreigners and will want to stay for a period of time.

Speaking for the founder, Mr. Vestraeten, who is currently in Belgium soliciting funding and support, the supervisor disclosed that the organization had earmarked a few schools in some districts like Bongo, to support them with teaching materials, and also support needy pupils with school uniforms.

In the Talensi-Nabdam District, Tanga Tours is poised to assist an orphanage in the near future. Some of the tourism sites in the region include, SWOPA, Tongo Hills and Shrine, Slave Camp at Nania near Navrongo, Paga crocodile pond, Chiana Slave Camp.

Tanga Tours recently discovered Bongo Bats Sanctuary, where bats inhabit through the year, and is poised to discover, locate, or identify new tourist sites in the region.

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