Tourism raked in a total of 519.5 million dollars from 482,643 tourists, who arrived in the country last year.

This gave 34.6 per cent rise compared to the 447.8 million dollars posted in 2001 from 438,883 arrivals.

The sector in 2000 made 386 million dollars from 399,000 visitors. Briefing the media in Accra, Mr Kwamena Bartels, Outgoing-Going Torism Minister, said the number could go up if the required tourist facilities such as sites and hotels were brought to acceptable standards and airfares brought down to realistic levels.

The Ghana Tourism Board (GTB) has encouraged the upgrading, rehabilitation and licensing of 164 new accommodation units, 29 new restaurants, 42 tour and travel operations and nine new car rental companies.

To further this aim, the Ministry, he said was pursuing a programme to increase budgetary allocation, establish a tourism development fund and to seek donor support.

It is also to strengthen institutional linkages through inter-ministerial committees and entering into discussions with the Board of Airlines for reduction in airfares and encourage more investment in the hotel sector.

"The Ministry is also zoning attraction sites for investment, establish land banks for investment promotion, investment promotion tours enhancing human resource capacity through the tourism capacity development initiative, which we have secured a 4.9 million dollars assistance from the USAID."

He said the Ministry has proposed a Tourism Development Fund, as part of the 15-year Tourism Development Plan, which would be derived from a portion of visa fees, airport tax and bed tax from the hotels.

He said: "all this would come on stream. But first have to go through the Ministry of Finance and Parliament for approval".