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24.11.2004 Travel & Tourism

Tour operators urged to market Ghana's tourism products

24.11.2004 LISTEN
By GNA

Accra, Nov. 24, GNA - Mrs Bridget Katsriku, Chief Director of the Ministry of Tourism and Modernization of the Capital City, on Wednesday urged private tour operators to market tourism products they way they do to any other export commodity to enable foreigners to recognize Ghana as a good tourist destination.

"Marketing of our tourist product is the key to entering the international market. It is therefore important for the country to participate in tourism fairs and exhibition internationally," she said. Mrs Katsriku, who was speaking on behalf of the Minister for Tourism and Modernization of the Capital City, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, at a two-day workshop organized for tour operators in Accra, said: "The Ministry will not rest until the private sector takes full control of tourism in the country."

The workshop, organized by CBI, an entity of the Dutch government that promotes imports from Holland, brought together private sector tourism operators.

It was aimed at educating the private sector on the importance of marketing their tourism products.

Mrs Katrisku described tourism and hospitality services as exports that were consumed in the country and said there was the need for the private sector to acquire skills and strategies needed to participate in fairs and exhibition.

Mr Martin Mireku, Acting Chief Executive of the Ghana Tourist Board, called on the private sector to inject resources to boost the marketing of strategies of the tourism sector.

He said the workshop would address issues on the private sector's role in supporting government market its tourist products. Mr Willem Reijnder, a tourism consultant for CBI, said the workshop would take participants through practical information on marketing tourism products, marketing approach and systematic planning. He said the programme would run in the country for eight years.

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