The Ghana Tourism Development Company (GTDC) has held a press conference in Accra to brief the media on its achievements for the year and update the public on ongoing projects.

The engagement brought together journalists, management and stakeholders to discuss progress made within the tourism sector.

The event formed part of the company’s commitment to maintaining transparency and strengthening collaboration with the media as key partners in promoting tourism.

Addressing the media, the Chief Executive Officer Prof Kobby Mensah explained that Ghana is home to rare amphibious wildlife species found in only a few countries.

He noted that these animals mostly appear at night which presents an opportunity for tourism investment through observatory facilities and eco adventure projects.

The CEO mentioned that GTDC is working to attract both local and foreign investors to support wildlife based tourism and to boost the country’s visibility as a preferred destination.

He indicated that the company has introduced the Invest in Tourism platform with more than 12 tourism profiles already uploaded for investors to explore.

Prof Mensah highlighted that the Ghana Tourism Marketplace platform was developed to improve the digital image of Ghana.

He explained that many online reports focus on conflict, flooding and corruption which affects how the world views the country.

He noted that GTM is helping to promote culture events and attractions through curated content for global audiences.

He revealed that the platform currently has over 240 users and more than 50 vendors.

He add that It has also generated over 20 thousand cedis in a month which he described as a promising start for long term revenue growth.

He stated that 57 tickets for Accra by Night tours have been purchased from cities including Lisbon Paris and Bronx through the platform.

Prof Mensah added that artificial intelligence features are being built locally to support marketing and data management.

He mentioned that young people will be trained in tourism product development and customer service through a partnership with the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme.

According to him, the trained groups will later list their businesses on the tourism marketplace.

He further announced that the platform will soon help the ministry and the presidency access real time tourism revenue figures.

He expressed confidence in the GTDC team and commended young creatives who are supporting the project despite limited resources.

Prof. Kobby Mensah urged the public to take advantage of tourism platforms and participate in activities that support the industry.

He expressed commitment to promoting Ghana as a top African destination while building a digital system that improves communication marketing and business growth within the sector.

The acting Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Finance and Administration at the Ghana Tourism Development Company (GTDC), Naomi Borley Alabi highlighted that the company is committed to improving tourism products across the country to make the sector more attractive.

She mentioned that the team has been working with local communities to help develop tourist sites and boost domestic tourism.

She noted that GTDC has managed several projects successfully this year, including upgrades to selected tourist facilities and the rollout of promotional activities to attract more visitors.

Naomi Alabi stressed that such efforts are helping to strengthen Ghana’s tourism brand both locally and internationally.

She encouraged Ghanaians and private stakeholders to partner actively with GTDC to grow the tourism economy.

She assured the public that the company will continue to introduce new ideas to support job creation and increase revenue in the sector.

Deputy CEO for Operations at the Ghana Tourism Development Company (GTDC), Felicity Nelson explained that the press conference was organised to brief journalists on progress made and future plans for the tourism industry.

She shared that it was important for the public to know how far GTDC has come with various projects that were started during the year.

She noted that the company has recorded achievements in product development, partnerships and investment attraction.

According to her, tourism has great economic potential, and GTDC is working hard to tap into it for national development.

Felicity further stated that the company is open to feedback from the media and the public as it continues to work to improve services.

She assured stakeholders that GTDC will maintain transparency and keep the public updated regularly.

By: Jacob Aggrey