How to improve cultural tourism in Ghana

Although tourism remains the third highest foreign exchange earner for the country and still has the potential to become a leading sector of the economy, government is yet to pursue the area with the serious commitment it deserves.

 
Apart from historical tourism and a few interesting sites across the country, the art, culture and tourism sectors are being neglected, both locally and on the international level.

 
It is against this backdrop that Mr Samuel Adjei, Director of African Affairs of the International Trade Fair [ITB] based in Berlin, Germany, desires that Ghana joins the IDC.

 
His reason is that Ghana stands to benefit a lot by selling its rich art and culture on the global scene through the IDC festivities.

 
The main aim of the IDC is to establish the Delphic Games of the modern era as a unique international forum for national and international communication in the field of art and culture.

 
The six categories of the games are: music and acoustic arts; performing arts; lingual arts; handicraft design and visual arts; communication and social arts; and architecture and ecological arts.

 
For Ghana to participate in this international cultural festival, it has to become an active member of the IDC, which will then qualify her to promote arts and cultural tourism on the international arena.

 
"If you are not popular outside who will come? Cultural tourism has the potential to attract more people to come to Ghana", he stressed.

 
Already some African nations which are members of the IDC are enjoying the benefits through their participation in the international cultural events.

 
Mr Adjei, a Ghanaian based in Berlin, alleged that some nationals of the West African Sub-Region buy artifacts from Ghana and display them as their own work during the international cultural festivals.

 
"I am a Ghanaian and therefore prepared to help the relevant ministries work out how Ghana could join the IDC", he told this paper.

 
He claimed that government is aware of his preparedness to assist Ghana to reap the benefits of being a member of the IDC.

 
He, however, expressed worry about the usual delay in the implementation of policies by government bureaucratic process.