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Tourism Sector Players To Be Honoured At 2020 National Tourism Awards
The 2019 National Tourism Awards will be held on Friday, November 6, 2020 at the National Theatre, Accra.
The awards ceremony which is the fifteenth in the series is under the theme, ‘GROWING TOURISM BEYOND THE RETURN, BEYOND COVID-19’, and it is being organised by the Ghana Tourism Authority under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture.
The National Tourism Awards was instituted by the Ghana Tourism Authority in 1997 to reward excellent performance in the tourism sector. It is also to raise standards and encourage healthy competition among tourism industry practitioners with a view to firmly positioning tourism as a vibrant economic sector and to consolidate the country’s position as a preferred tourist destination.
In 2019, Ghana’s tourism became a great success as the ‘Year of Return’ sparked global movement by projecting Ghana on a higher pedestal. A follow up of the successful ‘Year of Return’, ‘Beyond the Return’ was launched recently. It is a 10-year project under the theme, “A decade of African Renaissance – 2020-2030” which hinges on these seven pillars: Experience Ghana, Promote Pan African Heritage and Innovation, Invest in Ghana and Diaspora Pathway to Ghana. The rest are Give Back Ghana, Celebrate Ghana and Brand Ghana.
Though the tourism industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 Pandemic which led to the closure of our borders by air, land and sea among other things. Consequently, given the re-opening of Ghana’s airspace and the tourist sites, the tourism sector is expected to significantly bounce back, which would invariably boost on the country’s GDP for the well-meaning of the Ghanaian citizenry countrywide.
A total of 43 Awards would be presented to deserving tourism establishments and personalities during the awards ceremony. These include 32 Competitive Awards and 11 Honorary Awards. The Competitive Awards include Accommodation Category (serviced apartment, hostel, budget hotel, guest house, 1- 5 Star hotel and consistent payment of tourism levy (accommodation)
Catering Service Category (offshore/airline catering establishment, night club/pub, drinking bar, fast food establishment, traditional caterer (chop bar), restaurant of the year (grade 1 to 3) and consistent payment of tourism levy (catering)
Travel Service Category (visitor attraction, site guide, tour guide, car rental service, travel agency, tour operator and airline of the year)
Media(Tourism Broadcast Programme, Tourism Writer, Tourism Oriented Media (Television,Radio, Print, Online)
The Honorary Award is based on special recognition for outstanding contribution to the tourism industry.
Meanwhile, sponsors for this forthcoming event are catalogued as follows: GIHOC DISTILLERIES, AUNTY AKU SYSTEM, PRUDENTIAL BANK GH LTD, JOY INDUSTRIES LTD, AKOSOMBO TEXTILES LIMITED, ECOBANK, ETC.
Our Collaborators are MTN GH, TANG PALACE HOTEL, ALISA HOTEL, YOKS RENT-A- CAR, PAPAYE FAST FOODS, M & G PHARMACEUTICALS, SATGURU TRAVEL & TOURS, AND A HOST OF OTHERS.
Featuring will be the National Dance Company, National Symphony Orchestra, Akwaboah among others.
Remember! Let’s continue to adhere to the COVID-19 safety and hygiene protocols whilst we climax the 2019 National Tourism Awards in a grand style.
ISSUED BY THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT, GHANA TOURISM AUTHORITY.
Ministry of Tourism Disburses $1.3m for first tranche of Grants Under World Bank GTDP
- Manhyia Palace Museum who received GHS 3,363,612.00
- Arc World Travels re3ceived GHS 225,000.00
- Shabasa Travels and Tours Limited GHS 150,000.00
- Afadjato – Tagbo Ecotourism Centre had GHS 690,000.00
- Afadjato Agumatsa Ecotourism Centre who also had GHS 859,153.50
Procurement – Electronic Visa Solution (eVisa) for the Ghana Immigration Service (GTDP) – (P164211)
Design, Supply, Install, Build Capacity, and Deploy Electronic Visa Solution (eVisa) for the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS) as Part of the Ghana Tourism Development Project (GTDP) – (P164211)
(Without Prequalification)
Purchaser: Ghana Immigration Service
Project: Tourism Development Project
Contract title: Design, Supply, Install, Build Capacity, and Deploy Electronic Visa Solution (eVisa) for the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS)
Country: Ghana
Loan No. /Credit No. / Grant No.: Tourism Development Project (TDP) – (P164211)
RFB No: GH-TOURISM-186837-GO-RFB
Issued on: 19th October, 2020
- The Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture has received financing from the World Bank toward the cost of the Tourism Development, and intends to apply part of the proceeds toward payments under the contract for the Design, Supply, Install, Build Capacity, and Deploy Electronic Visa Solution (eVisa) for the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS)]
- The Ghana Tourism Development Project under the Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture now invites sealed Bids from eligible Bidders for the Design, Supply, Install, Build Capacity, and Deploy Electronic Visa Solution (eVisa) for the Ghana Immigration Service (GIS), from 1st January, 2021 to 31st May, 2021, in Ghana with services available at Kotoka International Airport, Paga, Elubo, Aflao, Takoradi, Tema, any location around the world from where a visitor wants to travel to Ghana.
Specifically, the Bidder will be required to:
Undertake the tasks as documented in Section VII – Requirements of the Information System.
- Bidding will be conducted through international competitive procurement using Request for Bids (RFB) as specified in the World Bank’s “Procurement Regulations for IPF Borrowers” July 2016, revised November 2017 and August 2018 (“Procurement Regulations”), and is open to all eligible Bidders as defined in the Procurement Regulations and is open to all Bidders eligible as defined in these Guidelines that meet the following minimum qualification criteria
- Experience
- The Service Providing Firm must be a reputable ICT firm with international experience and shall have qualified personnel with demonstrated experience in the successful design, installation and management of similar projects. The Firm will be selected based on experience and capacity to carry out this type of work. The firm must have at least 5 years of practice in Ghana.
- The vendor must have been in software integration business for over 5 years and must be ready to develop systems or other line of business applications that can interface with Government of Ghana payment systems and eServices.
- Vendor must have experience as Systems Integrator and demonstrate its ability to help develop skills and build capacity of GIS technical team to be able to reuse the platform for future projects. The Systems Integrator must have a support and maintenance capability in Ghana to be able to provide backstopping support to GIS.
- Technical Capacity
- The Bidder shall have experience in Development, Customization, Configuration and Integration to Government of Ghana’s ePayment platform and eServices.
- Shall have offices in Ghana or should furnish an undertaking that in case of being selected and awarded the contract it will set-up an operational office in Ghana after award of contract.
- Financial Capacity
- Minimum average annual turnover of US$500,000.00 calculated as total certified payments received for contracts in progress or completed within the last five (5) years. Bidders are required to submit audited balance sheets and income statements for the last five (5) years as part of their financial statements.
- Demonstrate evidence of the firm’s liquidity in the form of cash flow, liquid assets and/or credit lines net of other ongoing commitments at the minimum required amount of USD 1 million.
- Each joint venture member or sub-contractor undertaking a significant portion of work under this contract (20% or greater of the estimated value of the contract) must be financially stable, with gross revenue base of at least US$200,000.00 annually over the last three (3) years, and liquid assets of at least US $0.5 million.
- Interested eligible Bidders may obtain further information from The Ghana Tourism Development Project, Ag Project Coordinator, e-mail: procurementwborg@gmail.com and inspect the bidding document during office hours of 09:00am to 5:00pm at the address given below.
- The bidding document in English may be purchased by interested eligible Bidders upon the submission of a written application to the address below and upon payment of a nonrefundable fee of One Thousand Two Hundred Ghana Cedis. The method of payment will be Bankers Draft made payable to the Tourism Development Project. The documents will be available for pick up only at the Tourism Development Project.
- Bids must be delivered to the address below
The Ag. Project Coordinator
Tourism Development Project
Bureau of Ghana Languages
Kawukudi Accra
Ghana Post GPS – GA-019-2774
Tell: 0541587658
On or before Friday, 4th December, 2020 at 11:00am. Electronic Bidding will not be permitted. Late Bids will be rejected. Bids will be publicly opened in the presence of the Bidders’ designated representatives and anyone who chooses to attend at the address below
The Project Coordinator
Tourism Development Project
Bureau of Ghana Languages
Kawukudi Accra
Ghana Post GPS – GA-019-2774
Tell: 0541587658
on Friday, 4th December, 2020 at 11:00am.
- All Bids must be accompanied by a Bid-Securing Declaration.
- Attention is drawn to the Procurement Regulations requiring the Borrower to disclose information on the successful bidder’s beneficial ownership, as part of the Contract Award Notice, using the Beneficial Ownership Disclosure Form as included in the bidding document.
- The address (es) referred to above is (are):
The Project Coordinator
Tourism Development Project
Bureau of Ghana Languages
Kawukudi Accra
Ghana Post GPS – GA-019-2774
Tell: 0541587658
Rhythms on da Runway is Back for the 2020 ‘Beyond the Return’ Edition
Rhythms on da Runway is officially back for another year. Media Personality and Fashion Designer Kofi Okyere Darko, popularly known as KOD, is the man behind this brand that has been showcasing African fashion and entertainment for over a decade. The official launch announcing the upcoming event took place on 8th October on the rooftop at the African Regent Hotel. Many of Ghana’s celebrities and members of the creative industry were in attendance for the high energy event that featured music and entertainment.
Rhythms on da Runway 2020 Edition is set to take place on 14th November 2020 at 7pm at The Underground located in East Legon. This year’s edition is supported by Ghana Tourism Authority and is an officially endorsed ‘Beyond the Return’ event. With the global pandemic this year’s event is expected to be on a smaller scale because there will not be designers from other African countries flying in to participate. There are also limited travellers from the diaspora due to travel restrictions around the world. This year’s edition is slated to be 100% Ghanaian featuring designers and musicians from across the country.
CEO of Ghana Tourism Authority and Coordinator of ‘Beyond the Return’, Akwasi Agyeman, said that having the event this year shows how resilient we are as a people. Being and endorsed ‘Beyond the Return’ event, he assured that there will be several editions of the event endorsed over the next 10 years of the ‘Beyond the Return’ initiative. “We’re quite excited that this year we’re having a 100% Ghanaian program,” he said. Making mention of Ghana Tourism Authority’s ‘See Ghana, Eat Ghana Wear Ghana, Feel Ghana’ campaign, he said that Rhythms on the Runway fits right into that messaging.
Yvonne Ocloo is the Creative President for RODR and she said they are excited about the upcoming event and are humbled to be able to pull off another show considering the things that have happened this year with the pandemic. She remembered how exciting last year’s event was and the acknowledgment received from BBC Africa in referring to the show as the “Biggest cultural expose in Africa.” She made mention that one of this year’s highlights will be the celebration of Ghanaian designer Ricci Osei, father of musician Reggie Rockstone. He was a cultural innovator who paved the way for many design talents in Ghana today.
Some of the performers scheduled for the show include Kelvyn Boy, Kwabena Kwabena, Efya, King Promise and Kuami Eugene. Designers who will be showcasing their collections include Chocolate by Kwaku Bediako, Sima Brew, Stepup, Jay Ray Ghartey and others to be announced soon.
Tickets for the event go on sale on 14th October and there are only 200 tickets available. KOD was overwhelmed with how many people attended the launch event and acknowledged that with Covid-19 protocols this year’s event will not be as grand in number. He said it was going to be tough turning people away because of the limited numbers. Despite that, he knows this is a momentous occasion to be able to still put on the show. Akwasi Agyeman said, “We know that this year’s event as small as it will be, it will be another milestone to celebrate.”
By Ivy Prosper
Work on Bonwire Kente Museum Begins
Accra, October 13, 2020
Today, Vice President, H.E Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia will cut-sod for the construction of the much-anticipated Bonwire Kente Museum.
Kente has for decades been Ghana’s most prominent cultural heritage symbol. In recent years it has become the symbol representing the unity of the black race, African identity as well as a symbol for black empowerment. Kente cloth has been used by Congressmen of the US and most recently by rising tennis star Naomi Osaka in acknowledgment of her ancestral heritage after she won the US Open. Though Kente is woven in several places in Ghana such as Adanwomase and Agotime Kpetoe, Bonwire is arguably the most popular place associated with the weaving of Kente.
The Bonwire Kente Museum project is thus part of the larger plan to improve selected Crafts and Artifacts Making Sites in the Ashanti Region. The objective is to improve the performance of tourism in targeted destinations along craft villages.
The event is taking place within the Ejisu Municipal Area which is an important tourism enclave in Ghana. It is the home of Nana Yaa Asantewaa, the heroine and towering figure of African resistance against colonialisation. The area also has iconic Ashanti traditional buildings which are listed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.
GFA, GTA & PFAG Collaborate On ‘Visit Ghana, Bring Back The Love Football Tour’
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) in collaboration with the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) and the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has launched the Visit Ghana Football Tour at the Accra Tourist Information Centre (ATIC) on Friday, October 2, 2020.
The campaign dubbed BEYOND THE RETURN, FOOTBALL RETURNS is aimed at igniting the passion for football in both local and diasporan communities, whilst promoting Ghana as a tourist destination.
The campaign tour will officially kick- start at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium with the “Battle of the Stars” football match as a way of promoting domestic football and domestic tourism.
The Deputy CEO of Operations, GTA, Mr. Ekow Sampson who spoke on behalf of the Chief Executive, Mr. Akwasi Agyeman, stated that, ” football is such an important sporting event that draws attention to itself, and this is the main reason for many investors including tourism are interested in football. Football vitalizes the tourism sector and increases patronage of hotels, restaurants, transportation, nightclubs, visit to tourist sites and all other tourism sectors which in return generates revenue and redistributes income.
The President of the Ghana Football Association, Mr. Kurt Okraku said football promotes tourism, and tourism promotes football.
He also revealed that the launch is going to kickstart the activities that would lead to the reopening of the 2020/2021 football season.
Dignitaries present at the ceremony include; the President of the Ghana Football Association Mr. Kurt Edwin Okraku, Member of the Black Stars Committee: Alhaji Abu Alhasan Jones, Deputy CEO Operations, GTA: Mr. Ekow Sampson.
The General Secretary of the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana, Mr. Solomon Thompson, The Deputý General Secretary of Confederation of African Football, CAF, Mr. Anthony Baffour, General Secretary, GFA, Prosper Harrison Addo, and the Deputy General Secretary, GFA, Mr Alex Asante.
Other officials include; Former Black Star Player: Yusif Chibsah, the Manager for Product Development and Investment(GTA): Mr. Ben Anane-Nsiah, Manager for Research Monitoring and evaluation(GTA): Mr. Spencer Doku, Manager for Operations(GTA): Mr. Michael Kpingbi, Manager for Corporate Affairs (GTA): Rev. Jones Aruna Nelson, Director of Communications, GFA: Henry Asante Twum and Representatives of Decathlon, Ghana.
Photos: Beyond The Return ‘Return Conversations’ Begin In Accra
Professionals from Ghana’s Creative Arts Industry came in their numbers to participate in the first ‘The Return Conversations Masterclass’ virtual panel discussion. The panel featured industry pros from the U.S. who were imparting their knowledge with decades of industry experience. A Q&A session gave Ghanaian creatives the chance to share their experiences and ask questions about collaborations and real investment in the African industry.
Qatar Airways Launches Flight Services To Ghana With Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Qatar Airways has commenced operations in Ghana with its first flight arriving at the Kotoka International Airport on the morning of September 29, 2020.
The airline will operate four weekly flights to Accra, Ghana via Lagos, becoming the 4th new destination launched by the national carrier of the State of Qatar since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In an interview with Citi Business News after the arrival of the flight, Minister of Aviation, Joseph Kofi Adda said the arrival of the airline signals confidence the airline has in the management of the country’s economy amidst COVID-19.
He also noted that it will be a stepping stone in the recovery of the country’s aviation and tourism industry.
“We are very happy precisely because it is coming in the wake of the COVID-19 and the re-opening of the airport. It is an indication of confidence in what is going on in Ghana and the aviation sector. Our efforts to make sure that we are able to take samples and tests and contain the importation of the virus into the country, tells us that Qatar is happy. It is also a manifestation of the prudent management of the economy. For us, we are looking at it as an indication of competition,” he said.
Meanwhile Chief Executive of the Ghana Investment Promotion Center (GIPC), Yoofi Grant, is confident that Ghana is well positioned to attract more foreign investors towards the country’s tourist and economic development.
“It’s been two years of fruitful engagements with the State of Qatar. The investment potential is huge and indeed, Ghana is opened for business,” he added.
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner features 22 seats in Business Class and 232 seats in Economy Class.
According to the Group Chief Executive of Qatar Airways, His Excellency Akbar Al Baker, the choice of Ghana’s capital is due to its “fame for local hospitality and highly sought after agricultural exports”.
“We look forward to working closely with our partners in Ghana to steadily grow this route and support the recovery of tourism and trade in the region,” he added.
The airline will allow unlimited date changes, and passengers can change their destination as often as they need if it is within 5,000 miles of the original destination.
The airline will not charge any fare differences for travel completed before 31 December 2020, after which fare rules will apply.
All tickets booked for travel of up to 31 December 2020 will be valid for two years, from the date of issuance.
Source: Citi FM
Ghana Marks 2020 World Tourism Day Celebration With Activities In Bogoso and Takoradi
Yesterday #Ghana continued activities marking the commemoration of the 2020 World Tourism Day which falls on September 27 each year. The commemoration activities began on September 22, 2020 with a Zoom Webinar on the Theme.
Also, in line with the theme for this year’s celebration “Tourism and Rural Development”, the Ministry of Tourism led its agencies for a Health Walk which saw participation from hundreds from Bogoso with several keep-fit clubs joining. The walk also had officials from the Ministry of Tourism and its agencies. It was immediately followed by a Tree-Planting exercise in partnership with the Forestry Commission.
Related Story: Two Ministers lead tree planting exercise to Mark World Tourism Day in Western Region
Tourism Minister Plants Symbolic Trees to Mark World Tourism Day in Bogoso
The Tourism Minister, Hon. Barbara Oteng Gyasi together with the Western Regional Minister and Chiefs of Damang cut sod for the construction of Damang Arts Training Centre at Damang. The centre is to train the youth in craft making.
Saturday’s events were climaxed with a musical concert at Bogoso with performances from Ghana Music Awards artist of the year Kuami Eugene, @kuamieugene, “One Corner hit-maker Patapaa,
Government releases incentive packages to partners in Tourism Industry-Minister.
A grand durbar of chiefs was held at Takoradi today to climax the commemoration which falls on September 27, each year.
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#WTD2020 #WorldTourismDay2020 #Restarttourism #safetravels #visitghananow #BeyondTheReturn #FridayThoughts #fridayMotivation #FunkyFriday #fridaynightvibes #concert #music
‘Return Conversations’ Premieres With Masterclass On Creative Arts
ACCRA, GHANA – 25th September 2020
‘The Return Conversations,’ a pivotal part of the Beyond the Return project is set to premiere with a virtual Masterclass on 30th September 2020 at 4pm. Under the theme, ‘Black Stories Matter; Forging Collaborations for the Development of Ghana’s Creative Industry,’ the Masterclass will feature industry players from the U.S.A. and Ghana who will share information and knowledge and create opportunities to discuss collaborative efforts.
The panel will be moderated by Professor Eleanor Earl, a film and television content producer, entrepreneur, and educator and Ivy Prosper, a Media Professional and Social Media Manager with the ‘Beyond the Return‘ Secretariat.
“These conversations are relevant right now especially as the spotlight on telling stories from the Black and African perspective is increasingly important in these times. As more people from the diaspora are looking for ways to collaborate with continental Africans, having conversations like this is the first step,” said Annabelle McKenzie, Manager of the ‘Beyond the Return’ Secretariat.
The program is being coordinated by the Ghana Tourism Authority in conjunction with the Creative Arts Council and TheBridgeZone. According to Akwasi Agyeman, CEO of the Tourism Authority and coordinator of the Beyond the Return project, “This will be the first of a series of conversations between Ghanaians and the African diaspora on topics that came up during last year’s successful ‘Year of Return’ campaign. We are building on the success and the feedback we gathered last year”.
C.E.O. of TheBridgeZone, Anthony Bart Appiah, says, “It is important for Black people to tell their own stories. We want to help bridge the gap in creativity between Ghana and the United States.”
The program will be broadcast worldwide on social media channels for ‘Beyond the Return’, Ghana Tourism Authority, and locally on Hitz FM 103.9.
The Masterclass intends to focus on key areas in the creative industry including fashion, art, music, animation/ gaming, and film. These are all industries where Ghana’s creative arts community seeks to build and develop in ways that can help them reach audiences across Africa and beyond its borders. President of the Creative Arts Council, Mark Okraku Mantey, has helped to organize members of Ghana’s creative community to participate in this important event. Invited guests who attend in person, will participate in a live Q&A session that will take place in Ghana.
Panelists include Actor and Producer, Lamman Rucker, President of Production for the Narrative Film Group, Shelby Stone, former NBA Star and Entrepreneur, Baron Davis, Fashion Designer and Interior Design Consultant Etu Evans, Music Mogul, Film Producer and Investor, Vassal Benford III, CEO of Prolific Media Holdings LLC, R.J. Bucaria, Project Manager for Digital Entertainment and Media for the Georgia Dept. of Economic Development, Asante Bradford, Celebrity Hair Stylist, Philonese West and Award-Winning Producer, Director and Writer Chris Roland.
Ghana’s Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Hon. Barbara Oteng-Gyasi, will deliver a statement during the event. As the sector minister, her presence solidifies the importance of such an event when it comes to building Ghana’s creative industry and finding ways to collaborate with the diaspora communities who bring skills and knowledge that can be shared.
The event will be on social media channels for ‘Beyond the Return’ (@beyondthereturn) and Ghana Tourism Authority (@ghanatourismauthority) and locally on Hitz FM 103.9.
For more information on this upcoming event, contact the ‘Beyond the Return’ Secretariat office by email at support@beyondthereturngh.com.