Accra, Jan. 30, GNA - Vice President Aliu Mahama on Friday urged the Universal Federation of Travel Agents Associations (UFTAA) to assist in efforts to raise the professionalism and specialisation of tour operators in Ghana to international standards.

Vice President Mahama said this when he received Mr Birger Backman, the visiting Director-General of UFTAA at the Castle, Osu. He said the Government was committed to supporting the Tourism Sector, the fourth highest foreign exchange earner, to increase tourist arrivals from the current 500,000 to one million by 2007, thus improving the forex receipts.

The interventions of bodies such as UFTAA, the Vice President said, would facilitate the achievement of these goals.

"Helping the Tourism Sector to grow is one of the top priorities of Government and we need to constantly upgrade the knowledge and skills of the operators to keep them abreast of modern trends. We, therefore, consider your visit as very significant."

Mr Backman said he was impressed with the state of Ghana's tourism industry, though it was important to constantly update standards to become the best.

He said Ghana is endowed with numerous resources that made it a potential top tourism destination.

He mentioned the beaches, wildlife, parks, cultural heritage, art and historic links with major European cities and African Americans as some of the attractive resources that must be marketed.

He, however, expressed concern about the political conflicts in the Sub-Region, saying though Ghana had peace and stability, some tourists would not feel safe coming to the area.

Mr Backman, consequently, praised the efforts of President John Agyekum Kufuor in helping to resolve the conflicts in the troubled countries.

On investments in tourism, he said it must not only focus on infrastructure and technology but mental and attitudinal change to prepare Ghanaians to maintain their infrastructure and to keep their communities clean as tourists were concerned about their health. Mr Backman advised Ghanaians to guard against "Europeanising or Americanising' their culture, saying it should be preserved to maintain its uniqueness.

The UFTAA Boss, who arrived in Ghana last Wednesday for a five-day visit, is undertaking a tour to some of the tourism sites to be able to market them abroad. He would also participate in the Awards Ceremony of the Ghana Association of Travel and Tour Agents on Saturday.

Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister of Tourism and the Modernisation of the Capital City, said Ghana aimed at setting and maintaining the best practices in the world and the Ministry would constantly monitor and support developments in the Sector to achieve that.