Accra, Nov. 15, GNA - The Tour Operators Union of Ghana (TOUGHA) has instituted a domestic tourism awareness essay competition for Junior Secondary Schools to create and sustain public awareness of domestic tourism.

Briefing the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Accra on an award ceremony scheduled for Friday, November 17, Mrs Stella Apenteng, President of TOUGHA, said it was to reward pupils, who excelled in this year's essay competition, which featured students from the Upper West Region on the theme: "Experience Our Dream."

Forty children including a blind student out of 927, who participated, have been selected for various awards including a tour of the regions, books and cash prizes.

Topics for this year's essay competition on domestic tourism were: "The Importance of Forests"; "An Annual Festival Celebrated in My Community" and "Customary Marriage in My Family".

Mrs Appenteng said domestic tourism was a vibrant economic activity that involved an entire community and its socio-economic benefits were countless and urged Ghanaians to know much about their own country before deciding to entice foreigners to sample what the country had to offer so as to be better ambassadors.

"Tourism attractions such as culture, festivals, sites, mountains and the forest, attract people from other places to the country. This demands that we all assist in identifying, protecting, developing and sustaining these attractions," she advised.

Mrs Appenteng explained that the essay programme sought to encourage the youth to know their country well and be exposed to the culture of various regions to enhance their sense of unity and neighbourliness.

She urged communities to initiate efforts at protecting and maintaining various tourists' attractions in their locality without waiting for Government intervention 16 Nov. 06