Accra, July 3, GNA - Mrs. Juliana Azumah-Mensah, Minister of Tourism, noted on Friday that President Barrack Obama's visit to Ghana this month presents a chance in a lifetime to push tourism to the third highest foreign exchange earner for the country.

She told journalists in Accra that last year tourism earning stood at US$1.4 billion, placing fourth to cocoa, gold and remittances. "But with Barrack Obama's visit and other tourism activities in the pipeline this year, the sector was expected to generate between 16 to 20 per cent revenue, more than it did last year and thereby take its rightful place as the third highest foreign exchange earner," she said. Mr. Azumah-Mensah made the remark at the launch of World Tourism Day, Panafest and Emancipation Day celebrations as well as the Tourism aspect of President Barrack Obama's visit to Ghana.

She noted that President Obama's visit, slated for July 10 to 12, promised to give the world a glimpse of Ghana's golden culture through the eyes of the 300 international journalists coming to cover the visit.

"Our heritage and culture tourism resource will be given a massive publicity worldwide so Ghana must take advantage of it and hang out all her best wares to be captured by the cameras," she said. She therefore urged players in the domestic tourism industry to highlight the tourism opportunities that existed in Ghana to enhance domestic earnings for economic growth.

Mr. Kobby Acheampong, Deputy Minister of Tourism said, on the back of President Obama's visit, Ghana would launch an aggressive sales campaign to attract wealthy black Americans to come, live and spend in Ghana, saying, "we will start town hall meeting in black communities in the United States to promote our tourism opportunities". He also said travel and tourism clubs would also be established in schools and churches as a way of boosting domestic tourism. Just days after President has concluded his visit, Panafest and Emancipation Day would come off from July 16 to August 1, on the theme: "Our heritage, our strength."

The occasion would be marked with activities such as wreath laying, durbars, a reverential night and Pan African Conference and Awards Night.

Mr. Azumah-Mensah said the United Nations World Tourism Organization had also chosen Ghana to host this year's World Tourism Day celebration slated for September 21 - 27.

She said the World Tourism Day would be on the theme: "Tourism Celebrating Diversity- and would be marked with activities such as a tour for the local press and travel writers, tree planting along Lake Bosomtwe and a think-tank on the theme.

The minister urged Ghanaians to participate fully in all the events to ensure that Ghana took full advantage of the opportunities they offered to boost efforts at reaching the over one million tourists target by 2012.

She called on the media to support the ministry in publicizing the good image of the country during "this crucial and most opportune period", in the history of the country.