Accra, Feb. 25, GNA - Ms Akua Sena Dansua, Minister of Tourism on Friday launched the 2011 edition of the Paragliding Festival, pledging to give domestic tourism a further push for more Ghanaians to show interest in the attractions.

She noted that the festival which was now part of the famous Kwahu Easter was meant to diversify and add value to the tourism potentials and products in the area to ensure maximum patronage. Hang and Paragliding is an aviation sport that enables human beings to fly in light aircraft.

This year's edition comes off between April 22- April 25. Ms Dansua said research findings by the Ghana Tourist Board indicated that 68 per cent of the visitor- population to last year's paragliding festival were Ghanaians spanning 18 and 29 years. "Almost all the hotels in the Kwahu Ridge were booked with an averag= e of night stay of three=85Visitors travelled from as far as Kumasi and beyon= d to participate in the festival."

Ms Dansua noted that this year's festival dubbed: 93Kwahu Paraglidi= ng Festival 2011," promises to be extra exciting with about 32 pilots from seven countries and a host of participants from as far as the Northern Region subscribing for the event.

"Pilots from Germany, USA, Britain, Austria, South Africa, Switzerland and Togo who participated in last year's festival recounted stories of excitement, warmth and fun to their colleague pilots in other parts of the world, who have subscribed to this year's event," she said. Ms Dansua advised travellers to Kwahu this year, to avoid immoral activities during the exciting times.

She urged Ghana Tourist Board (GTB), Ministries of Local Government an= d Rural Development, Youth and Sports and Health to develop programmes and activities that would harness the energies of the youth and to minimise or prevent the transmission of Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

She said her Ministry would also collaborate with other stakeholders t= o develop roads and other infrastructure to improve the paragliding site. Mr Ben Anane-Nsiah, Manager in-charge of Special Events at GTB outline= d the programme for this year's paragliding festival. He explained that this year, the sector in collaboration with Adom FM, a Tema-based radio station would organise a health walk, an akwaaba concert= , street carnival and a durbar among other programmes.

Nana Kuntun Sakyi IV, Chief of Kwahu Nkami who represented Daasebre Akuamoah Boateng, Paramount Chief of Kwahu Traditional Area, advised the youth to shun immoral dressing during the festival. Mr Cox Tamakloe, Programmes Director at Adom FM, said his organisation intended to make Kwahu a Mecca of entertainment in Ghana. Laryea Kingston, member of the National Team, Black Stars have been named as the sport tourism icon of the event.