African Travel and Tourism Association (ATTA)-Ghana, a network of key players in the tourist industry, has been launched in Kumasi to encourage investment into the sector.

The Association aims to help push the country's ambition to become the preferred tourism destination in sub-Saharan Africa to enhance job and wealth creation.

It would also serve as a platform to creating synergy among players in the industry to improve facilities and increase tourism business exposure.
Mr Ahmed Naaman, a Founding Member of ATTA-Ghana, said despite the challenges and shock to the industry, following the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic, tourism still had the potential to contribute significantly to Ghana's economic growth.

He commended the government for coming out with a stimulus package to cushion activities and operations of tourism enterprises.
He asked stakeholders to take advantage of the package to improve their businesses and also sustain their livelihoods. Mr Naaman described ATTA-Ghana as "an Association with a pan-African vision", whose activities aimed at demonstrating to the the outside world, the continent's rich tourism diversity.

He called on the members to be actively involved in advancing the cause of the Association.
Mr Peter Achampong, the Ashanti Regional Manager of Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), lauded players in the tourism industry for standing firm in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The future is not gloomy, but bright," he noted, stressing that the recent easing of some restrictions on tourism activities in the country was a step in the right direction.

It would, amongst others, help to revive domestic tourism to generate revenue for the country, he said.
Mr Achampong asked operators of hospitality facilities to ensure strict adherence to the COVID-19 safety protocols to protect their staff and the public.

As part of the programme, an interim Executive Council, with the responsibility to coordinate activities of ATTA-Ghana was inaugurated.
It has Mr Emmanuel Boateng as President, Mrs Selina Boampong, Financial Secretary, Mr Christian Nyarko, Organizer, and Mr Eric Apraku Gyamfi, in-charge of Membership Drive, and Mr Charles Kusi Appiah-Kubi, the Executive Secretary.

In an inaugural address, Mr George H.T. Nana Kankam, the GTA acting Director in-charge of Policy, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, advised the members to work together to achieve the objectives of the Association.