The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) in the Northern Region has called on district assemblies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and donors interested in improving lifestyles of people in depressed areas to support tourism development in the Region.

Mr William Ayambire, Northern Regional Manager of GTA, made the call when he delivered a lecture to mark the regional celebrations of this year’s World Tourism Day at Nakpanduri in the Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo District of the Northern Region on Sunday.

The lecture was on the theme: “One Billion Tourists, One Billion Opportunities” and was attended by students and people from all walks of life in the district.

Mr Ayambire said the support of district assemblies, NGOs and other donors would help to develop the numerous tourism potential in the Region for the benefit of all.

He said the region was endowed with many tourists’ attractions with just a few developed and there was need for all stakeholders to partner to develop the many tourist attractions in the region to serve as a source of employment and income for the people.

He cited the Nakpanduri area, which was abound with numerous tourism potentials such as the Nakpanduri escarpment suitable for paragliding, the Nakpanduri waterfall amongst others, that could be developed to generate revenue to improve the status of the area and its people.

Mr Ayambire called on the chiefs and people of Nakpanduri and other areas where tourism potentials abound to identify more tourism assets to make the destination more attractive as tourists would prefer to maximize the use of their money by seeing many places of interest within a single destination.

He advised all to maintain clean environment and avoid street begging or soliciting money and gifts from tourists and visitors to attract more tourists.

Naa-baa David Kansuk, Chief of Nakpanduri underscored the importance of tourism to the economy of the country, saying, developing the tourism potential at Nakpanduri would help bring relief to the youth in terms of jobs and improve the status of the area.

Naa-baa Kansuk said the people of the area now lived peacefully and appealed to the Ministry of Interior to lift the curfew imposed on the area (Nakpanduri) as a result of conflicts in the past.