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Tourism Minister calls for enhanced co-operation with Cuba

The Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Dr Ibrahim Mohammed Awal has called for enhanced co-operation between Ghana and Cuba through intensifying exchanges in Tourism, Arts, and Culture.

He explained that cultural exchanges would be beneficial to both countries because they could afford them the opportunities to share ideas and pick lessons from the Cuban success story.

The Minister was speaking in Accra on Monday when the Cuban Ambassador to Ghana, Annette Chao Garcia paid a courtesy call on him.

Madam Garcia was presented with a Beyond the Return wrist band and tourism passport.

“We want to look at customer care especially and how we can attract and retain tourists which is the biggest issue of the sector” he indicated.

DrAwal said, his vision for the sector was to attract tourists who would repeat their visit to Ghana with their family and friends as the years go by.

He revealed that plans were far advanced to organise charter flights to bring tourists from Cuba and vice versa at least every fortnightly.

The Ministry, he said, plans to increase the number of tourists who visit Ghana from 1.1 million in 2019 to 2 million by 2024, and adding that it would be achieved through the rehabilitation of forts and castles.

DrAwal noted that the Ministry was in the process of developing a national festival that would enhance the diverse and rich cultural heritage of Ghana.

On her part, Ambassador Annette Chao Garcia said Ghana could attract the needed investment in the tourism sector because of its beautiful cultural history.

She said Ghana being a safe country, having more resources, and generally being a peaceful country, were three key things that make Ghana the preferred destination for many tourists.

She indicated that the highest contributor to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Cuba was the Human Capital.

The Ambassador urged the Minister to address flight challenges between Ghana and Cuba to make the collaboration smooth.

BY CLAUDE NYARKO ADAMS

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