Director General for National Arts and Culture Otunba Segun Runsewe has advised tourism practitioners to start harnessing business angle of tourism, describing it as very vital tool to better the sector.
Runsewe who gave the advice at the just concluded sixth edition of Accraweizo with the theme: “Seamless Travels in West Africa”, noted that Africa should first consider their area of strength to move tourism forward.
Accraweizo is the West African travel and tourism expo organised by African Travel Quarterly with Ghana Tourism Authority.
While describing culinary tourism as tool to move different tourism products forward, Runsewe pointed out that the way and manner the people approach those aspects of tourism are the key to its development”.
Eating food can be of way to promote tourism.
He said, “Food is the integral part of people’s culture, and it goes a longer way to determining the people’s culture. Food has a way of connecting the people”.
He also noted that, in thriving tourism the people must also be proud of their products, just as he advocated the need for brand ambassador, awareness, marketing products and many others.
He advised the people to also device suitable way of food plating for easy identification, stressing that there must also be uniformity in food plating.
The DG called for a new thinking between Nigeria and Ghana, saying Nigeria and Ghana have a very string tie.
With such collaboration, Runsewe assured that the unborn Nigeria and unborn Ghana children would witness the peaceful coexistence among the two countries.
In his response Ghana Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Dr. Ziblim Barri Iddi, said such understanding will bring better relationships between both countries.
Also speaking, Executive Secretary, Calabar Carnival Commission, Austin Cobham said “Events are strength in driving tourism and event are not owned by any individual.
Calabar Carnival is the biggest event and we have 50,000 carnival revelers,” he added.
By Ebere Chibuzor
Source: wabusinessnewsng.com
