The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has welcomed the ease of COVID-19 restrictions announced by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo saying the move will help boost the tourism sector.
According to GTA, the ease of restrictions would help increase tourist arrivals and receipts that would boost the socio-economic development of the country.
“The restrictions on our land and sea borders and the PCR test which were very critical to our tourist operators had our tourists receipt and arrivals coming down.
But now that the restrictions have been eased we are looking at getting to the peak period where we are going to see a boom in our tourism sector.”
The Deputy Head of Corporate Affairs, GTA, Mr Kofi Atta KakraKusi, told the Ghanaian Times in an interview in Accra on Tuesday.
He said the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic impacted negatively on tourism growth, job creation, and livelihood of communities that depended on tourism.
He indicated that with the easing of restrictions, the Easter celebration and the Kwahuparagliding festival would help the domestic tourism rake in a lot of revenue.
“Most of our revellers are expected to come from outside and the diasporans- visiting their family which eventually is going to increase revenue domestically after two years of lockdown,” he added.
However, Mr Kusi indicated that, despite the ease of restrictions, the authority had met with stakeholders in the tourism industry to ensure that the easing of restrictions does not spike the spread of the disease.
To achieve this, he said the authority had set up a Local Organising Committee (LOC) made up of representatives from the districts within the Kwahu enclave, Kwahu Traditional Authority and other stakeholders to ensure the paragliding festival was improved and successful.
Mr Kusi said the authority would also establish vaccination points at hotels, beaches, cinemas to encourage patrons to be vaccinated.
He, therefore, urged players in the tourism industry to take responsibility for their health, despite the ease of restrictions since they were the first point of contact.
BY VIVIAN ARTHUR
