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GTA partners with VISA to promote digital payments at tourist sites and events in Ghana
Accra, March 8, 2023
Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) and Visa have announced a strategic collaboration that will see the world leader in digital payments become an official payment partner at national tourism sites under GTA’s control, including all GTA-hosted events.
Following this agreement, Visa will serve as one of the accepted forms of payment by patrons at certain tourist sites throughout Ghana including the Kintampo Waterfalls, Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary, the Bunso Eco park, Tetteh Quarshie Cocoa Farm, Assin Manso, Anomabo Memorial Garden of Return, Bonwire Kente Museum, and several other tourist locations in the country
This partnership is significant ahead of the Kwahu Easter festivities in April 2023 and the much anticipated call for entries for “December In GH,” 2023. Both are a special bundle of activities and programmes designed to make Ghana a top travel destination over holiday periods and beyond.
Commenting on the partnership, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Akwasi Agyeman, said: “We have been looking for ways to adopt digital innovation to make lives simple and transform the economy. The decision to partner with Visa aims to drive our financial inclusion agenda while making payments at the various tourist sites and events safer, easier, and more convenient. Travellers and tourists will avoid the trouble of carrying cash by using their Visa cards.”
Adoma Owusu, the Country Manager of Visa Ghana, said: “Ghana is becoming increasingly renowned as a global cultural destination with the onset of cultural events and activities under the “December in GH” brand and amazing tourist sites and attractions. At Visa, we remain resolute in our quest to transform the way Ghanaians pay and get paid by offering them the most secure and reliable way. We are excited about our partnership with GTA as we know most people have a lot of plans lined up to enjoy Ghana. We are happy to be their payment enabler.
GTA is also working with event organisers to offer discounts and incentives to those who purchase tickets with visa cards. These will be announced on a rolling basis.
Digital payments have been demonstrated to be a robust and incredibly adaptable solution for the travel and tourism industry. The partnership with Visa will help to improve domestic revenue collection as shown by the electronic payment system pilot programme that the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture launched in 2019, which led to a significant increase in revenue.
Ghana expects to welcome one million visitors into the country in 2023 with several activities lined up including concerts, fashion shows, traditional cultural events, and much more.
About Visa
Visa (NYSE: V) is a world leader in digital payments, facilitating transactions between consumers, merchants, financial institutions, and government entities across more than 200 countries and territories.
Our mission is to connect the world through the most innovative, convenient, reliable, and secure payments network, enabling individuals, businesses, and economies to thrive. We believe that economies that include everyone everywhere, uplift everyone everywhere and see access as foundational to the future of money movement. Learn more at Visa.com.
About the Ghana Tourism Authority
The Ghana Tourism Authority is a state agency under the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture responsible for the regulation of tourism in Ghana by marketing, promoting, licensing, classifying, researching and developing tourism facilities and services in the country.
Tulsa Race Massacre Survivors Given Ghanaian Citizenship At Ceremony In Washington
March 1, 2023.Washinton DC –
108- year-old Viola Fletcher, and her 101-year-old brother, Van Ellis, two of the three last-known living survivors of the Tulsa Race Massacre have received their Ghanaian citizenship at a solemn but impressive ceremony held by the Ghana Tourism Authority and the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture at the Ghana Embassy in Washinton DC. Over 150 influential members of the African American and Ghanaian Community in the USA attended the event.
In 2021, Fletcher, affectionately called “Mother Fletcher,” and Ellis, often called “Uncle Red,” traveled to Ghana for the first time where the country’s President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo conferred on them Ghanaian citizenship.
Welcoming the gathering, Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States of America, Hajia Alima Mahama recounted Ghana’s long standing history of Pan-Africanism and said the Country “continues to build bridges between the continent of Africa and Africans in the Diaspora in extraordinary ways”.
The CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Akwasi Agyeman, said the event was a perfect climax to the Black History Month celebration in the United States of America , highlighting Ghana’s Diaspora Pathways pillar as part of the Beyond the Return Project. “Your story of survival is an important imprint in the story of the African Americans in America. It is also a story that shows the resilience of the African spirit and on which we can stand to strengthen the bonds between Africa and its diaspora community”, he emphasised.
According to Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, he was hopeful the event ” will resonate and inspire others to make the journey back home to the motherland like mother Fletcher and Uncle Red did” ” I am looking forward to this ceremony opening new doors of engagement in tourism, trade and Investments amongst us as Africans and our brothers and sisters in the diaspora” . Dr Awal added that the Government of Ghana was committed tp creating an environment that will encourage diaspora investment, create jobs for the youth and enhance livelihoods.
Regina Goodwin, a member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives, responding on behalf of the family said “we are honored to be receiving Ghanaian citizenship for our priceless Black icons. Mother Fletcher and Uncle Red wanted to visit the Motherland before they caught their wings,” Godwin stated. “Now they have more than that. We thank the President and People of Ghana for this honour done to not just them, but the African American community in the United States”. Mother Fletcher and Van Ellis opted for Ghana due to it’s credentials as the hub of global diaspora engagement and the home of Pan Africanism.
Dignitaries who graced rhe ocassion included Ghanaian Musical icon, Rocky Dawuni, Hollywood Actress A.J Johnson, Ghana’s Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources, Hon. Cecelia Dapaah, Ike Howard, Grandson of Mother Fletcher, Akwasi Awuah Ababio, Director, Diaspora Affairs – Office of the President , Annabelle McKenzie, Director of the Beyond the Return Secretariat. Adwoa Asamoah, National Advisor for Black Engagement for the Biden-Harris campaign, Jasmine Young, Director of Warner Music/Blavatnik Center for Music Business at Howard University, Maxwell Edusei, CEO the African Loom
W.E.B Dubois Memorial Centre For Pan African Culture Hosts Black Resistance Month
February is Black History Month.
Black History Month is celebrated to remember the important people and events in the history of the African diaspora.
Black history month has been Observed for 53 years. Black History Month is celebrated to raise the Flag of Liberation (Red, Black, Green and Yellow)
- Black represents the dark-skinned peoples of sub-Saharan from which the African Diaspora sprang forth.
- Red represents the pain and bloodshed through struggles for liberation.
- Green represents the fertile lands of continental Africa.
- Yellow is used, to represents the immense riches to be found in many countries across continental Africa.
This month is a time for each of us to reflect on a complicated history that stretches around the world to any place where people of African descent were forcibly transported or willfully migrated in search of opportunities.
We will continue to celebrate Black History Month throughout February to highlight Black and African heritage as a commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. It is important for all of us to educate ourselves and each other in ways that reinforce the idea that our histories, realities, and futures are interwoven.
W. E. B. DuBois Memorial Centre for Pan African Culture Ghana have a week program for you .
Starting from 16th February to 23rd February 2023
16th – 18th February 2023 is Exhibition (Arts and Craft)
20th February is a History Talk Show
21st -22nd is History Movie of Our Nobel Freedom Fighters
23rd February is WEB DuBois 155th Birthday
WEB DuBois Memorial Centre for Pan African Culture invite everyone to join grace the occasion
For more information
Contact :0560244480
:0548030228
GTA, COCOCBOD, CPC Launches National Chocolate Week 2023
The 18th National Chocolate Week has been launched successfully at the Accra Tourist Information Centre (ATIC) on Tuesday 7th February, 2023.
The brief occasion which was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture, Ghana Tourism Authority, and in partnership with the Ghana Cocoa Board, FAIRAFRIC Ghana Limited and the Cocoa Processing Company is under the theme, “Eat Chocolate, Stay Healthy, Grow Ghana”.
Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Minister of Information, who was the keynote speaker for the National Chocolate Week Launch, together with the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Hon. Mark Okraku Mantey launched this year’s National Chocolate Week celebration, with a call for the country to focus on processing more cocoa beans locally and consumption chocolate and Cocoa based products.
According to Hon. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, focusing on the processing of cocoa is a sure way to increase the country’s chances of raking in substantially from the over USD150 billion in revenues accrued from the global chocolate confectionery industry annually.
He also called on Ghanaians to rally around the cocoa consumption promotion agenda and “see it as a national duty”.
The Deputy Minister for Tourism Arts and Culture, Hon. Mark Okraku Mantey said the active collaboration between the GTA, COCOBOD and Cocoa Processing Company (CPC), as well as other partners, to transform the National Chocolate Day into the National Chocolate Week has provided a longer period of engagement and has increased awareness creation to further stimulate the consumption of chocolate and cocoa based products.
“We have managed to establish a high degree of association between tourism and cocoa-based products one of which is chocolate, and positioned it as a veritable component of the Ghana tourism experience”. He opined
He again hinted on the socio-economic benefits of the National Chocolate Week, that he said has brought the increased in local consumption of chocolate and other cocoa based products and that the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture will continue to actively support the National Chocolate Week Celebration.
Mr. Mac Manu, Board Chairman of Ghana Cocoa Board who doubled as the Chairman of the occasion, said the Board was particularly interested in moving the country beyond the leading producer of premium cocoa beans globally to the leading processor and consumer of premium cocoa. He said they had introduced policies and liaised with various key stakeholders to create a conducive environment for cocoa processing, especially for small-scale producers. “While pushing for avenues for increased local processing, we also have the duty to help build a reliable market base locally for our processors, which makes the celebration of the Chocolate Week Celebration even more important.”
Mr Manu encouraged stakeholders to see the success of this year’s National Chocolate Week Celebration as a critical national assignment and urged Ghanaians to actively promote and participate in the various programme of activities lined up for the celebration.
Mr. Ray Ankrah, Deputy CEO in Charge of Finance and Administration at the COCOBOD who read a statement on behalf of Hon Joseph Boahen Aidoo, Chief Executive of Ghana Cocoa Board said a number of Productivity Enhancement Programmes (PEPs) which is aimed at increasing the annual cocoa production output have been laid out. ”While these efforts are laudable on the production end of the cocoa value chain, there is also the need to add value to our cocoa in terms of processing and additionally, increase consumption through the creation of awareness on its health and nutritional benefits” he added.
Mr. Ankrah again hinted that, some current tax regimes are affecting the efforts of COCOBOD to get more entrepreneurs into cocoa processing and value addition, especially those who are into small scale manufacturing. However, discussions are ongoing with the relevant state agencies to have taxes paid by artisanal chocolate manufacturers reduced or scrapped to reduce cost of operation in order to make them more competitive.
According to him, another challenge identified in the artisanal chocolate industry is the skill sets of the industry players. “I am however happy to report that we have engaged a Belgium chocolate company that will soon set up a chocolate academy to start training and polishing the skills of our chocolate makers”.
“Aside the National Committee for Promotion of Cocoa Consumption which works to create awareness for increased local consumption, another Committee has been tasked to work on market access and opportunities within the African Intercontinental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA). Furthermore, North America and the largely untapped Asian Market have proven to be good markets for our processed cocoa products and a tailor-made strategy is being fashioned out to help us penetrate these promising markets” he continued.
Programmes lined up for the celebration include a health walk, family day out and variety show at the Chocolate City, church visitations, time with school children, meeting moments across the regions, couples’ night out, and donations.
Other dignitaries present at the event were Chief Director Ministry of Tourism, Arts And Culture, Mr. John Yao Agbeko, Mr. Ben Anane Nsiah Deputy CEO In Charge of General Services, Ghana Tourism Authority, Nana Ansong Marketing Manager of CPC, Mrs. Alisa Osei Asamoah, President of the Tour Operators Union of Ghana (TOUGHA), Managing Director of FAIRAFRIC Ghana Ltd, Mr. Michael Mammon Halm, Nana Ama of FAIRAFRIC Marketing team, Council Member of the Ghana Tourism Federation (GHATOF), Mrs. Stella Appenteng, Representatives of the GIPC and GEPA, Ms. Anita Quarshie of the Ghana Free Zones Authority (GFZA), Representatives of Cargill Ghana, Niche Cocoa, Chocomac, Barry Callebaut, Covaaagh, Cocoshe, World Cocoa Foundation(WCF) etc.
National Geographic announces Ghana as one of top destinations for 2023
The year 2023 is just around the corner and amongst the top 25 breathtaking places and experiences for any traveller is Ghana.
Nation Geographic has taken the lead, to inspire travellers for the coming year and help them plan with “the hope is that 2023 will be not just a big return to travel but also to rediscovering wonder,” according to Amy Alipio, senior editor for National Geographic Travel and quoted on CNN travel.
In the announcement by National Geographic, Ghana is featured in the category ‘Community’ which was introduced in this year’s list, replacing “sustainability” with a broader “community” category highlighting how conservation benefits everyone.
The list which announces destinations for the year ahead, highlights places filled with wonder, rewarding to travellers of all ages, and supportive of local communities and ecosystems.
Ghana is thus being recognised as “an important destination for Black heritage travellers in West Africa”. National Geographic is therefor urging travellers to “head to Ghana to explore Black heritage and hang out with a fashion-forward crowd in the capital, Accra.”
Below is the list of the top 25.
National Geographic’s Best of the World 2023 list:
Busan, South Korea
Longmen Grottoes, Henan Province, China
Egypt
Charleston, South Carolina
Botswana
Slovenia
Big Bend National Park, Texas
Azores
Choquequirao, Peru
Utah
Austrian Alps
Revillagigedo National Park, Mexico
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Alberta, Canada
Laos
Ghana
San Francisco Crosstown Trail, California
Colombia
Manchester, United Kingdom
Switzerland
This announcement comes on the heels of several others in the past 4 years since Ghana launched renewed efforts at marketing its tourism with the flagship ‘Year of Return‘ campaign and its successor, the “Beyond The Return“.
Ghana also launched the ‘December In GH‘ campaign making the country a hub for fun and entertainment during the yuletide. This has drawn many people of African origin to visit the motherland including several Hollywood stars, Congressional Black Caucus and the NAACP. Campaign hashtags include: #DestinationGhana #ExperienceGhana #ShareGhana #VisitGhanaNow #SeeGhana #EatGhana #WearGhana #FeelGhana
By: Collins, sourced from National Geographic & CNN
MS. APEDZA SEDEM JEMIMAH WINS MISS CULTURE GHANA, 2022
Ghana’s Tourism Becomes Spotlight At Africa Tourism Leadership Awards
GTA To Hold 17th National Tourism Awards
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GTA Ladies Club Holds Biennial Congress at Kwahu
The Chief Executive Officer, Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) Mr Akwasi Agyeman, has urged women in tourism to work hand in hand to break the stereotypes that holds women down.
He said “we need more of our women to rise to positions of authority that will enable them influence policies, especially those that will affect the fortunes of other women.”
Mr Agyeman made this observation at the just ended biennial congress of the GTA Ladies Club.
The congress is aimed at bringing members across the regions together to ascertain how best to help the organization achieve its goals, to look at ways of empowering each other and to exchange views and ideas aimed at improving the welfare of female staff.
He congratulated the Club for their commitment and efforts towards the successful operations of the GTA and urged them not to relent in their efforts to creating a more formidable force of the Authority.
Mrs. Doreen Fianko, Founder of the Club said there were many conscious and unconscious biases around women, which hinders their progressive forward movement.
“This is the reason why women need to be empowered to equip and allow them to redefine their gender roles and to make strategic life choices which will allow them more freedom to pursue their desired goals.”
Mrs. Emma Rachael Akua Oduro, Outgoing President of the Club urged women in the Tourism, Arts, Culture and Hospitality industry in Ghana, to mentor and coach one another through support groups in order to meet up with the growing demands within the industry.
She said the club was formed over two decades ago to among other things improve the welfare of the female staff through the exchange of ideas, promote the image and advancement of members as well as to assist the management in pursuance of basic objective of the Authority and offer constructive suggestions and criticisms.
The Ladies’ Club has a membership of almost two hundred (200) members drawn from all the sixteen regions of Ghana.
Some activities that took place during the congress include, leadership training programme, empowerment summit, a donation exercise, election and swearing in of new executives, tour and picnic.
The newly sworn in executives include Madam Francesca Quansah, President, Ms Abigail Kwayisi, Vice President, Madam Selase Tettevi, Organizer, Nana Yaa Boadu, Assistant Organizers, Madam Millicent Nweada, Public Relations Officer, Madam Ellen Gyeambea, Secretary, and Madam Dela Melchidek, Financial Secretary.
Upper West Region Hosts 2022 World Tourism Day
Wa in the Upper West Region to host World Tourism Day 2022
The United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) World Tourism Day is observed every year on September 27 with the aim of fostering awareness among the international community about the importance of Tourism and its social, economic, political, and cultural values. The National Celebration is being hosted Today, 27th September in the Upper West Region, Wa, under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.
This year’s Celebration themed, “Rethinking Tourism”, focuses on how we can accelerate tourism recovery through a collaborative engagement of all stakeholders around a shared vision to build a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient sector. The official World Tourism Day celebration will be held in Bali, Indonesia, on 27th September to highlight the shift towards tourism as a crucial pillar of development.
As part of the celebration, Ghana has developed a sub-theme dubbed; Promoting Domestic Tourism for Wealth Creation in Communities to grow the interest of Ghanaians for tourism.
Prior to the celebration, tours were organised to some tourist sites such as Nakore Mosque, Royal Cosy Hills (Jirapa Dubai) among others. The celebration being climaxed with a Grand Durbar of Chiefs and Queen Mothers at the office of the Upper West Regional House of Chiefs in Wa.
World Tourism Day was designated by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in September 1979, with the commemoration to commence in 1980. This date was chosen to coincide with an important milestone in world tourism: the anniversary of the adoption of the UNWTO Statutes on 27 September 1970.
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