Hundreds of people including tourists have participated in an "Afadjato Hiking Challenge" as part of events to mark 2021 World Tourism Day celebration.

With a height of 885 metres, the conical-shaped Afadjato is the highest mountain in Ghana.

About 61 of the hikers registered to participate in the challenge for prizes.

Mr Ekow Sampson, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, in-charge of Operations, Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), noted that tourism had been affected globally including; tourists' arrival and revenue generation.

He said there was the need to look at domestic tourism since UNWTO projected that tourism was not going to recover from the pandemic till 2023.

"Government has come out with so many interventions to promote domestic tourism.

"You hear see Ghana, eat Ghana, wear Ghana and feel Ghana campaigns geared towards making Ghanaians participate in the attraction sites nationwide."

Mr Ekow noted that the Volta Region was one of the key tourist destinations in the country and the GTA had plans to identify communities that had telecommunication network problems and work with service providers to improve on services to improve tourism activities.

Madam Mabel Awuku, Public Relations Officer, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, noted that World Tourism Day celebration over the years had sought to promote tourism especially domestic tourism and it was important that tourism was endeared to the people of Ghana since it generated revenue for the development of the country.

She urged the people of Hohoe Municipality to be welcoming, loving and entertaining to have a successful event.

Togbega Homatekpor V, Paramount Chief of Gbledi Traditional Area, said the area was excited to host the hiking challenge.

He expressed hope that the theme for the celebration "Tourism for inclusive growth" would offer Gbledi a transformational growth in the local economy, education and skills development.

Togbega Homatekpor noted that Gbledi had not only carved a niche as the face of Afadjato, but one of the few communities nationwide committed to forest conservation.

He said activities of illegal chainsaw operators had become a threat to the conservation and called on the Tourism Ministry to assist the Area in curtailing the menace and to pay attention to some unearthed tourist attractions sites in the Area to derive the desired benefits.

Madam Yesutor Tengey, a participant after conquering the Mountain, said it was an exciting journey since it was her first time.

Awards would be presented to first 10 participants on the durbar day.

Community members of Wli Afegame also embarked on a 4.6km health walk to Fodome Ahor.