Tourism Conference And Exhibition Launched

The Minister for Tourism, Hon Juliana Azumah-Mensah, on Thursday, launched a Special Tourism Conference and Exhibition as part of this year's international World Tourism Day Celebrations.

The four-day celebration event which begins in September, this year, is to bring together industry and deliberate on how to develop ailing industries.

The Minister noted that tourism has become one of the most importance and fastest growing industries of the global economy and a major socio-economic activity in the world.

She reiterated that the foreign industry has over the years demonstrated its ability to contribute immensely towards national economic development especially in the areas of employment generation, wealth creation and poverty reduction at the national level.

Hon Juliana Azumah-Mensah added that the sector can also move from the 4th position to become the number one largest foreign exchange earner and employment generator in the next few years with the co-operation and support by all stakeholders including other Ministries Departments Agencies (MDA's), Development Partners, District Assemblies and Traditional Authorities.

She was optimistic that the Conference and the Exhibition which will be organised under the theme: 'Tourism Celebrating Diversity,' will serve as an ideal platform to demonstrate the enormous business and investment opportunities that the sector can create for Ghanaian's entrepreneurs as well as job for the communities.

The Minister reminded Ghanaians of the importance of the conference and the opportunities the nation can tap from the industry especially in an era when nations are struggling to recover from the global economic crisis.

She commended FAAR Event Management for working closely with the sector Ministry for the laudable initiative and urged them to be relentless in their efforts to maximise the success of the event.

The Hon. Minister further called on large, medium, small and micro-enterprises, in the hotel, food, transport, entertainment, the arts and handicraft industries as well as other ancillary services to participate in the conference.

The Minister of Information, Mrs Sabah Zita Okaikoi, welcomed the idea of the tourism show, saying that her Ministry is looking forward to work with the tourism industry to give the industry the needed boost.

The Minister noted that her Ministry has always been a partner in the development of the tourism industry, stressing that the Information Ministry also has the responsibility of informing Ghanaians and foreigners of the many tourism sites that abound in the country.

'In this way, 'Ghana which boasts of good hospitality can maintain its status as one of the attractive tourism destinations on the sub-region as well as a good earner of foreign exchange.'

The Managering Director of FAAR EVENT MANAGEMENT, Mr Reginald F. Ansah-Adjaye, said the programme will be an excellent forum for various stakeholders within the business units to gain valuable knowledge on how to utilise technology to improve the delivery of essential services to contribute to national development.

He also observed that the conference will afford policy makers and regulators the opportunity to interact with the industry players in the pursuit of building capacity for development.

The exhibition is expected to attract over hundred exhibitors made up of local and international companies in the tourism sector ,service providers, researchers and all relevant stakeholders in the tourism industry as well as high-level delegates.