Ghana is expected to rake in about $6billion revenue from tourism over the next four years, the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, has said.
The expected revenue increase according to the minister was premised on a number of initiatives undertaken including intensive promotional activities, policies and programmes.
The minister disclosed this during an Editors' Forum organised by the ministry in Accra yesterday.
The forum which was on the theme: 'Tourism, policy, progress, partnerships,' aimed at ensuring that the media appreciated the role of tourism in the development agenda of the country.
Dr Awal said as part of the measures to achieve the targeted revenue, government had committed some funds to modernise tourist attractions across the country.
The modernisation projects she said included the W.E.B Du Bois Centre, Osu Castle, Elmina Castle, some forts, parks, Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum, National Museum which had already be done among others.
"This is to boost tourism and make the sector a veritable tool for economic transformation," he added.
The minister said the sector had also targeted two million international and domestic tourist arrivals as part of the four-year Destination Ghana Project in 2026.
He said the sector was positioning Ghana as the preferred destination in Africa through meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) while making it a number one contributor to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
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"In 2023, the value of MICE and business tourism was $1.5 trillion. Africa's share is less than two per cent, even though South Africa, Egypt and Togo are those that attract business tourism, but Ghana as a host to the secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), I think we can also do it," he added.
Dr Awal said the ministry intend to launch a GH¢100 million tourism enterprise project next year, as part of measures to enable young people come out with projects on sustainable tourism to revitalise the sector and create jobs for the youth.
"We're going to train 6,000 young people in the tourism value chain to improve customer care in the tourism sector. The most important thing in tourism is to repeat tourism, but when I come and I do not come again is not tourism. I must be able to come back with my family and friends, stay longer and spend more," he stated.
He appealed to the media to support the ministry achieve it target saying "don't look at tourism as a back burner, make it a front burner issue."
The Minister for Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, underscored the need for more collaboration between the government, private sector, academia, media and the citizens to create an enabling environment for sustainable development.
He urged the media to support the ministry by creating more awareness and encouraging more partnerships to partner the sector achieve its aim.
For his part, the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Tourism Authority, Mr Akwasi Agyeman, said his outfit with support from the ministry was working towards making the country a "hub of enjoyment" in December this year.
