Lagos — Ghana's tourism Minister, Mrs. Zita Okaikoi, has called on Africans to take advantage of the upcoming South Africa 2010 to harness the tourism potentials on the continent.

According to her, the Africa is endowed with a lot of tourism sites capable of fuelling economic activities and employment.

Delivering an address on Ghana's experience in hosting mega events at the just ended United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)/South Africa International Summit on Tourism, Sport and Mega-events in Johannesburg, South Africa, Okaikoi said 'we are living in exciting times because this is not just a year for Africa but the beginning of a decade for Africa to shine and showcase its uniqueness to the rest of the world?'

In her view the occasion leaves African countries with no option than to join forces and galvanize ideas, resources, talents and skills to celebrate the uniqueness of Africa.

She indicated that the upcoming football fiesta in South Africa affords the continent the opportunity to promote tourism as a viable tool for wealth and employment creation, and poverty reduction among people living in the continent.

Cataloguing some mega events organized in Ghana, Mrs. Okaikoi said the hosting of such mega events dates back to the late 50's and 60's when as the first country in the sub-region the nation successfully organized the first Independence Day celebration which was graced by a lot of high profiled personalities.

Also after independence the first President, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, organized a lot of Pan African Liberation meetings and conferences in Accra to support other freedom fighters in their quest for independence for their countries.

This was followed by many important mega events targeted at ensuring the economic, cultural and political harmonization of the African continent, she added.

She therefore called on the private sector to partner governments to use the tourism sector as an effective vehicle to showcase the rich culture and environmental diversity on the continent.

The UNWTO Secretary-General, Mr. Taleb Rifai, at a meeting indicated that Ghana due to its political stability has a big advantage over other countries that equally abound in tourism sites.

He said that the historic visit of United States President, Barack Obama, last year July has given Ghana additional advantage for the promotion of tourism in the country.

Rifai urged the Ministry of Tourism of Ghana to co-operate with other investment agencies to help promote tourism.