The observance of this year’s World Tourism Day saw enthusiastic participation on the part of indigenes and guests who turned out for the event at Ada in the Greater Accra Region.

From visits to the Nkyinkyim Museum to ferry rides over sections of the Volta Lake, the event concluded on Wednesday with a durbar attended by hundreds of people from the Greater Accra Region and beyond.

The day was marked under the theme “Tourism and Green Investment: Investing in People, Planet and Prosperity.”

The event underscored the need to preserve the country’s natural and cultural heritage to ensure a prosperous and sustainable future for Ghana’s tourism industry.

A series of activities, including tree planting and a symposium on investment opportunities in Ada, preceded the gathering of government officials, traditional leaders, and various private-sector stakeholders.

The event commenced on September 27, 2023, with participants calling at the Nkyinkyim Museum, a centre dedicated to the visual preservation of African history and traditions.

The museum site, which spans over 115 acres and is adorned with intriguing works of art, was established five years ago and is regarded as a tourism gem in the region.

Speaking after the tour, Mr Kwame Akoto Bamfo, Founder of the centre explained that the Museum was a place for pilgrimage and academic tours, where people or groups come to “reclaim everything” that makes them African.

He said the centre had been receiving good patronage since it began operations and was designed to give “healing through restorative and transformative Justice.”

“We have to re-engage with the things we have lost and the people who contributed to us losing them, and that is what we educate people about. This space was created to educate the ordinary Ghanaian and Africans about their history,” he noted.

Mr. Bamfo, who runs the centre as a nonprofit organization, said there are plans to expand the facility, but the government needs to do more to encourage individuals working in the local tourism industry.

He claimed that taxation and other financial requirements undermined the purpose of places such as the Nkyinkyim Museum.

‘Nkyinkyim’ is a traditional Ghanaian emblem representing the “twists and turns” of life.

Kwesi Agyeman, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority, praised the exceptional works of art on display at the Nkyinkyim Museum.

He then joined other visitors on a boat tour of the scenic coast of Ada.

Visitors spent about 30 minutes interacting and taking pictures of the island resorts and luxury apartments lined up on the Volta Lake while jamming to upbeat tunes on board the Sogokope Ferry.

First-timers on the trip spoke positively of the therapeutic and recreational destinations in the region, indicating the desire to return.

“Coming from the Savannah Region to Ada has been a new experience, especially the journey on the ferry. Once in a while, you need to move out of your location and experience new things elsewhere, so I recommend Ada for anyone who wants to embark on a trip,” Isaac Nyadi, a guest on the ferry, told GNA.

Prosper Gadagbui, Tema Regional Chair of the Ghana Hoteliers Association, said being on the Volta Lake trip brought back memories because it had “been a long time” that he had been on the ferry.

Despite the government’s attempts to expand Ghana’s tourism potential, he asked stakeholders to work to increase accessibility to tourism hotspots across the country.

“Tourism is a lucrative business, and we must not ignore our tourism centres. The roads leading to the centres should be maintained and we must advertise more of the lesser-known tourist sites such as the Nkyinkyim Museum,” he stated.