Accra: The Ghana Tourism Development Company (GTDC) has engaged tourism agencies and trade associations on its innovative digital platforms designed to strategically create market opportunities and attract investments into the sector.
According to Ghana News Agency, the two technologically advanced platforms, Ghana Tourism Marketplace (GTM) and Ghana Tourism Investments Platform (GTiP), aim to enhance sustainability, increase traffic, and enable sector players to operate efficiently around the clock. Prof Kobby Mensah, the Chief Executive Officer of GTDC, emphasized the importance of tourism infrastructure for sector growth. He noted that the investment platform, once fully operational, would function like a B2B model, profiling tourism investment areas in Ghana to attract investors.
Prof Mensah further explained that the GTM would serve as a consumer platform where tourists could select destinations, book accommodations, rent vehicles, purchase event tickets, and shop. Highlighting the potential of technological innovation, he stated, “We believe that we can use technological innovation to bring all the sector players onto the platform to interact so that one can access services easily, pay for services easily and give their feedback easily.”
Additionally, the platforms would provide aggregated reports to inform the President about the sector’s daily contributions and the condition of roads leading to tourist sites. Prof Mensah highlighted that only 25 percent of arrivals recorded by the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) could generate approximately $4 million for the Ghana Tourism Marketplace.
Dr Edward Ackah-Nyamekeh, President of the Ghana Hotels Association, expressed optimism about the platforms’ potential to tackle investment, marketing, and recognition challenges. He acknowledged the significance of trade associations in the tourism regulatory framework and expressed hope for the platforms’ long-term success.
Mr Charles Adu-Gyemfi, President of the Ghana Tourism Federation (GHATOF), praised the platforms as a bold step towards repositioning the tourism sector. He highlighted that the GTM would connect products and services across the tourism value chain, urging stakeholders to embrace the initiatives as opportunities to build a sustainable, resilient, and competitive tourism industry that enhances Ghana’s appeal.
