Accra, April 3, GNA - One thousand one hundred and fifty-two tourists from all parts of the world were in the country to watch the eclipse of the sun, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister of Tourism and Modernization of the Capital City said on Monday.

He said though many of the tourists were from the United States (US), there were others from the United Kingdom (UK), Italy, Spain and Holland, who would hopefully share their experiences in Ghana with compatriots.

Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey, who was answering questions from the press at the launch of the second Kasapa Ghana Hang and Paragliding Festival, said the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) covered the eclipse in Ghana extensively.

He announced that the Discovery Channel would telecast the recording of the eclipse in Ghana on April 23, 2006 for 30 minutes, while the Ministry was arranging for it to be shown in Ghana.

He said tourism contributed 796 million dollars to the economy last year with each tourist spending an average of 1,950 dollars and expressed the hope that this year Ghana would gain more from tourists' receipts. "For us in the tourism policy making and implementation section of the tourism industry, these statistics show that our efforts in the face of severe constraints are paying off," Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey said.