Accra — A Peace Corps Volunteer, Ms Rita Tiltges, has urged farmers in the Bunso area of the East Akim District to protect the ecological balance in the area to promote eco-tourism.

Speaking at a two-day workshop on eco-tourism awareness organised for 60 farmers by the Ghana Tourist Board (GTB) she said with the creation of the arboretum by the Plant Genetic Resource Centre (PGRC) in the area they stood to benefit from tourism. Ms. Tiltges said with the support of the USAID the tourism potential of the area would be developed, and urged the people to assure tourists of their safety and comfort since the sector is a leading foreign exchange earner for the country.

The Eastern Regional Manager of the GTB, Mr Abubakr-Sadiq Braimah, announced that the arboretum was among four eco-tourism attractions being developed in the region and urged the people to invest in the provision of lodges, handicrafts, and to develop good sanitation and a friendly attitude towards tourists.