Ho, Jan. 31, GNA - Awudome Senior Secondary School (AWUSCO) at Tsito on Saturday beat Mawuli School in a debate organised by the Legacy Tourist Club, an Accra-based non-governmental organisation devoted to creating awareness on tourism.

Awusco, which scored 8.08 points against Mawuli's 7.66 points spoke for the motion, "domestic tourism has little significance on the nation's economy" with Mawuli speaking against.

Four other schools, OLA, Mawuko, Saint Prospers and Mastewa failed to turn up making the competition a straight contest between Awusco and Mawuli.

Awusco's Principal Speaker, Master Selikem Geni, argued that government was investing heavily in the tourism sector to bring it up to international standards but the expected income and patronage from the public remained low.

He said unless public patronage of historical sites, monuments and parks and other attractions was encouraged and embezzlement in the sector curtailed such huge investments would be a waste to the economy. Miss Justina Agozie, the supporting speaker of Awusco argued that underemployment, tribalism, unskilled labour, unattractiveness of sites and land tenure system and disputes continued to impinge negatively on the industry with little gain to the economy.

Miss Patience Logoh, the Principal Speaker of Mawuli School, arguing against the motion said the industry had played a great role in the socio-economic development of the country adding that the industry contributed 20 percent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). She said the tourism sector was employing a large labour force otherwise roaming the streets and that domestic tourism propels development.

Supporting this assertion, Master Sefah Awarwoyi argued that domestic tourism has the potential to outstrip the country's main foreign exchange earners, cocoa and minerals.

He pointed out that speakers for the motion were ignorant about the fact that international business now revolved around tourism. Prizes for the competition were wall clocks, books, certificates and brochures on tourism.

Mr Eric Adelaquaye, General Secretary of the Club said their objective was to develop and expose the youth to appreciate the values of domestic tourism.