GTA set for 2019 World Tourism Day and Paragliding Festival

The Ghana Tourism Authority under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture is set to hold this year's World Tourism Day (WTD) from September 25 to 27, 2019 in Kumasi, Ashanti Region.

This year's WTD is on the theme, "Tourism and Jobs, a Better Future for All". The celebration is a special one as Ghana commemorates 400 years of the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in "The Year of Return, Ghana 2019".

In a release issued to the Ghana News Agency on Monday, in Accra, it said Ghana joins other UNWTO member countries each year to celebrate the WTD on 27th September, and India has been chosen to host this year's Day.

Its purpose is to foster awareness among the international community of the importance of tourism and its social, cultural, political and economic value.

The event, also seeks to address global challenges outlined in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and to highlight the contribution the tourism sector could make in reaching these goals. Ghana hosted the global community for the international celebration for the first time in 2009.

It said as part of the activities, the next edition of the Corporate Paragliding Festival dubbed: "Fun and Fly" would also be held from 27th to 29th September, 2019 on Mount Odweanoma at Atibie - Kwahu in the Eastern Region.

It indicated that this Paragliding Festival is the fourth in the series dubbed: “FUN and FLY”. Five international pilots would fly patrons.

The release noted that preparations have been made for group tickets in respect of corporate organisations and VIP's.

It said “the month of September has been designated by the GTA as the Tourism Month and we take this opportunity to urge all to help promote and market the country's domestic tourism potential by way of our innovative marketing strategy dubbed, "See Ghana, Eat Ghana, Feel Ghana and Wear Ghana" campaign.”

It said some activities lined up for this year’s WTD celebration included exhibition of local products, from September 25 to 27, at the Centre for National Culture (CNC)- Kumasi, Ashanti Region, at 10am each day, and a float on September 26, from CNC to the central business district and back to CNC at 9am.

Others are a symposium, at CNC on September 26, at 1730 hours, WTD grand durbar, on September 27 at CNC, Ashanti Region, Kumasi at 10am, Corporate "Fun and Fly" Paragliding Festival, September 27t to 29 at Kwahu, Atibie, Eastern Region, with side attractions including king of the Mountain Cycling Competition on September 23 in Kwahu, Atibie and display of assorted local foods and drinks.

It said major stakeholders such as the Ghana Tourism Development Company, Kwahu South and East District Assemblies, Kwahu West Municipal Assembly, Kwahu Development Association, Kwahu Tourism Initiative, Meteorological Services Department, Ghana Immigration Service, Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, Ghana Police Service, Ghana Ambulance Service and the Ghana Armed Forces were each playing roles to ensure a successful event.

It entreated all and sundry to make it a point to participate in this year's activities lined up for the UN World Tourism Day and Corporate "Fun and Fly" Paragliding Festival.