He said the money was to enable women to improve tourism-related work to the benefit of the entire tourism industry.

Prof. Eshun announced these at a sensitisation workshop for stakeholders in the tourism industry, in Koforidua, in the Eastern Region.

He urged women, who needed help to apply for the fund, saying consideration would be based on their needs and qualification.

The $10 million tourism grant is part of the $40 million World Bank approved grant to the government of Ghana, under the International Development Association credit, targeted at specific tourism, arts and culture destinations and those on the value chain in the country.

Prof. Eshun said the grant would be disbursed under three categories –

the COVID-19 Relief Grants, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Site Upgrade Grants, all targeted at developing tourist sites and destinations.

Participants, included hoteliers, tour operators, restaurants and food services operators, tourist sites owners, tourism-related transport operators, arts and craft entertainment industry operators from the Greater Accra, Eastern and Volta regions.

Prof. Eshun noted that women formed the nucleus of the tourism industry.

“It has been empirically proven that women are better users of monies than men, thus the urgent need to support women, who were mostly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The World Bank is also concerned about women, children and the disabled. This is why we will give 60 per cent of the $10 million grant to them,” Prof. Eshun said.

The Chief Executive of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Mr Kwadwo Antwi, said the tourism sector was severely hit and faced with challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The situation, he said, ‘pushed’ government to negotiate with the World Bank to secure funding for the sector.

“This is the first time the tourism sector is negotiating funding from an international partner and hence whatever we do with the grant should contribute to the said objectives we have set to achieve,” Mr Antwi said.

He said it was necessary for the country continue to developing its tourism sector, which was the new gold to develop its economic sector.

FROM AMA TEKYIWAA AMPADU AGYEMAN, KOFORIDUA