Sunyani (B/A), Dec. 23, GNA - The Ghana Tourist Board (GTB), is to organise a national investment forum to sensitise financial institutions on the need to support tourism projects to promote the industry, in Accra early next year.

Mr. Julius Debrah, Executive Director of the GTB, who announced this, said that investment in tourism was capital intensive and high interest rate charged by banks deterred operators in the industry from taking loans to expand the sector.

The GTB Executive Director was addressing participants at a meeting organised for members of tourism trade associations in Sunyani on Tuesday. Mr. Debrah said that the private sector played a critical role in promoting international and domestic tourism. He said the Chinese government had endorsed Ghana as one of its pro-destination countries and the Ghana Embassy in Beijing had developed brochures to portray tourist attraction centers in China. Mr. Debrah advised people operating in the industry to obtain the relevant licenses.

Mr. Francis Tapena, Acting Brong-Ahafo Regional Manager of the GTB, said tourism facilities were widespread in the region and there were 84 licensed hotels and restaurants. He said 200 operators in the informal sector had obtained licences and mentioned Tano Sacred Grove, Fulla Falls, Kintampo Water Falls, Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary, Oforikrom Shrine, Bouyem Graves and the Bono Manso Slave Market as some of the tourist sites in the region. Mr. Tapena said the participants mentioned multiple tax payments as the main challenge that hindered the growth of the industry.