The Provost for the College of Humanities and Legal Studies at the University of Cape Coast, Professor Francis Eric Amoquandoh says tourism is critical in the development process of the country hence the need for continuous training programmes for actors in the sector.
Speaking at the opening of a two-day tour guides training workshop on best practices in the field organized by the French Embassy in collaboration with the Ghana Tourism Authority and the Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management at the University of Cape Coast, he says the University is committed to help support the tourism and hospitality industry in the country.
“Tour guiding has been and continues to be one of the critical success factors in all tourism destinations, hence the need for continuous training”, he intimated.
The Director of Operations at the Ghana Tourism Authority, Mr. Michael Kpinbgi indicated that such training is necessary since it has the potency to boost the tourism sector particularly at a time the industry is recovering from the effects of the covid 19 pandemic.
“We are making every effort at ensuring the tourism industry that has been worst hit globally by covid 19, is revived through the promotion of domestic tourism launched last week under the theme domestic and regional tourism campaign, experience Ghana, Share Ghana” he added.
A representative from the French Embassy, Dr. Sonia Couprie, on her part, urged participants to adopt positive attitudes towards the historical sites, help preserve them and foster development in the communities.
She stressed that “The attitudes we should all adopt as tourists, or as tour guides towards the heritage, historical sites, and the environmental sites is important in order to preserve and protect them. This attitude is essential to the sustainability of tourism for it to bring benefits and development to the communities around and Ghana as a whole”.
The training workshops is aimed at providing registered tour and site guides with the necessary skillset and interventions required in dealing with their very dynamic roles.
Source: ATLFMNEWSROOM/ Vera Siripi
