The Ministry of Tourism, Culture & Creative Arts, MoTCCA, in partnership with the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA), has launched the 2016 UNWTO World Tourism Day in Kintampo.
The event dubbed, “SADAFest,” forms part of a larger initiative by MoTCCA and SADA to develop, promote and sustain tourism pivoted on a diverse culture and unique creative arts as the leading lights for development in the SADA zone.
Minister of Tourism, Culture & Creative Arts, Elizabeth Ofosu-Agyare, in an address, said her Ministry was committed to using tourism, culture and creative arts as vital tools for achieving positive change in communities across Ghana.
Speaking on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SADA, Dr. Chrys Anab, Director for Social Development at SADA, said as part of a 25-year SADA Master Plan, tourism has been identified as a key pillar for creating the required jobs and wealth for indigenes of the Northern Savanna Ecological Zone (NSEZ).
Dr. Anab intimated that Kintampo North, which was hosting SADAFest 2016, had been included in the SADA Master Plan as a tourism cluster due to the many tourists sites, including the famous Kintampo Falls, the Centre of Ghana Edifice and eco-museums, among others.
According to him, SADA, in collaboration with MoTCCA, GTA and the Kintampo North Municipal Assembly, sought to improve existing tourist attractions and also develop the undeveloped sites.
He pointed out that SADA, in partnership with MoTCCA and the various regional offices of the Ghana Tourism Authority and Centres for National Culture, has already begun an exercise to map out all the developed and undeveloped tourists and heritage sites in the NSEZ to market these opportunities to both local and foreign investors and ultimately boost domestic and international visits to the sites.
Array of activities earmarked for the main celebration from September 25th – 27th include a grand durbar of chiefs, street carnival, a health walk, food bazaar/cooking competition, a SADA zone tourism ambassador competition, tour of the Kintampo falls and massive health screening.
The UNWTO world tourism day/SADAFest is under the theme, “Tourism for All: Promoting universal accessibility.”
The partners include the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Ghana Tourism Federation, GHATOF, corporate Ghana and the Regional Coordinating Council of the NSEZ.
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