The Upper East Region must move beyond possessing rich cultural and natural attractions and turn them into tangible opportunities for jobs, local businesses and economic growth, Regional Minister Akamugri Donatus Atanga has said.
He said the region’s tourism assets needed to be properly developed, packaged, preserved and marketed to generate greater economic benefits for local communities.
The Minister made the call in a speech read on his behalf by the Chief Director of the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council, Bless Kwame Darkey, at the Upper East Regional Tourism Awards in Bolgatanga.
Mr Atanga said the region was “richly endowed with culture, history, tradition and natural beauty”, including festivals, traditional institutions, crafts, music, cuisine, historical sites and natural landscapes.
“Our task is to develop, package, preserve and market these assets effectively,” he said.
He said unlocking the potential of the tourism sector could create jobs, strengthen local businesses and make tourism a more significant contributor to the region’s economic development.
Mr Darkey also commended the Ghana Tourism Authority for sustaining the regional awards programme, saying it was helping to promote professional excellence and collaboration within the tourism and hospitality industry.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
