Accra, Dec. 11, GNA - A senior official of the tourism industry has again lauded the potential of industry saying it generated 833 million dollars in 2005.

Mr Charles Osei Bonsu, Deputy Executive Director Finance and Administration of Ghana Tourism Board (GTB), told the graduation ceremony of the School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management (HRTM) on Saturday in Accra that the industry employed some 120,000 people.

He said tourism, which is the fastest growing sector and a major contributor to Ghana's economy, grew by 12 per cent in 2005. It is the fourth foreign exchange earner after gold, cocoa and remittance from abroad.

Mr Osei Bonsu said the industry had plans for next year's activities, which include Ghana's 50th Independence anniversary. "Ghana will be hosting the African Union Summit of Heads of State; the Joseph Project to coincide with the celebration of the 200 years of the abolition of slavery, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTD) and in 2008 the African Soccer Tournament (CAN 2008).=94

Mr Osei Bonsu noted that the industry was, however, faced with the critical and actual shortage of skilled, trained and professional staff at managerial, supervisory and operational levels to meet the demands and challenges.

He said the hospitality sector did not have institutional capacity to train personnel in the industry.

"In effect, service delivery in the industry ranging from accommodation, food and beverage service, travel and tour, is unsatisfactory in both national and international standards," he stressed.

Mr Osei Bonsu said the Ministry of Tourism and Diasporan Relations and stakeholders in the industry had developed a five-year strategic action plan to address the situation.

The training component of the plan aims at upgrading the standard and quality of human resources in the tourism industry by providing quality training on sustainable basis to meet current and future needs.