The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) is collaborating with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MoTAC) to host the maiden West Africa Integrated Travel (WAIT) forum in Accra.
The two-day event, which begins tomorrow Tuesday, March 20, in partnership with the West African Travel Organization (WATO), seeks to campaign for the need to ensure the free movement of tourists within the sub region, particularly ECOWAS citizens.
GTA’s CEO, Mr. Akwasi Agyeman, told Goldstreet Business that the forum has become necessary due to the need to collaborate with government agencies and tourism authorities within ECOWAS to identify and discuss challenges curtailing the movement of citizens of countries in the sub region for tourism purposes.
“This forum is the beginning of a joint marketing effort among tourism authorities in the sub-region on the need for policy makers to ease up travel blocks within the region,” he said.
WAIT he said, also aims at increasing awareness of West Africa’s tourism products and other related information.
A statement by GTA, indicated that several dignitaries including the dean of ambassadors in West Africa, Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Tourism Minister, Mrs. Catherine Afeku will attend the forum.
“Topics for panel discussions including, West Africa Integrated Travel – bridging the gap, cross-border travel among ECOWAS states – breaking the barriers, challenges facing tour operators and tourism practitioners in West Africa and the means of transportation as a catalyst for tourism development, will be debated with related solutions,” the statement said.