The Deputy Minister for Tourism, Creative Arts and Culture, Mark Okuraku-Mantey, is confident the Kwahu Paragliding Festival would play a major role in raising its 2022 targeted revenue of $2.3 billion.
This he believes would make tourism the Number One gross domestic product contributor in the country.
He said this during the launch of this year’s Festival at the Odweanoma Mountain.
This year’s event promises to be exciting after a two-year break.
The Kwahu South Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Emmanuel Atta Ofori Snr, recalled the nosedive the local economy went through and expressed excitement at the return of euphoria surrounding the Paragliding festival.
“Our local economy took a nosedive and the tourism industry was shocked by the absence of the Paragliding Festival due to Covid-19 pandemic. I am very excited that it is back. Indigenes and industry players’ businesses would get some revenue.”
He called for private partnership to help develop the other potential tourist sites in the Kwahu enclave.
“The Kwahu enclave has lots of tourist potentials. We encourage private investors to partner with the three Assemblies to develop them.”
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Akwasi Agyeman, encouraged the hospitality and creative arts players to offer their best.
“We intend to make the Paragliding Festival an all-year festival, I urge the industry players to put their best foot forward.”
Deputy Tourism Minister Mark Okuraku-Mantey said his outfit would count on the return of the Kwahu Paragliding festival and other tourism activities to reach its targeted $2.3 billion revenue for the 2022 year.
“We welcome the rest of the world to visit Ghana.The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture has a target of 2.3 billion US dollars for 2022. Activities such as [this festival] would play a major role in achieving this target. Every Ghanaian today I would urge you to support tourism. Everybody can be a beneficiary, whether you work at the hotel, a taxi driver. And that is why we are pushing to make tourism the number one contributor to GDP of Ghana.”
He asked revellers to network in the midst of the celebrations.
“Socialise, fraternise, give if possible because it’s Easter, party hard, network for future benefits, because I personally believe that your network is your next net worth.”
First time patrons who were ready to go airborne shared their expectations.
“I feel nervous already, but the scenery is beautiful, let’s see how it goes, it’s my first time flying.”
Paragliding is an aviation spot enjoyed at Odweanoma in the Kwahu South municipality of the Eastern Region since its inception in 2005.
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