Central Region opens door to tourists (September 25, 2009)

THE Central Region last Wednesday opened its vast tourism potentials to international journalists from the U.S., the UK, Italy, Canada, Russia, Netherlands, Spain and Germany who are participating in the World Tourism Day in Ghana.
At a reception organised by the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) for the group and a number of local journalists in Cape Coast, the Regional Minister, Mrs Ama Benyiwa-Doe, took advantage of Ghana's position as the host of this year's World Tourism Day celebrations to sell the region to the world.
"As you come to our region, we are ready to assist you to enjoy and, if you wish, invest in it.”
The celebration is on the theme, "Tourism Celebrating Diversity".
The week-long event was launched in Accra on September 22, 2009 ahead of September 27, which is the actual date designated by the UNWTO for the celebration of tourism globally.
The journalists visited the Central Region, to see the tourist and investment potentials there.
Addressing the visitors, Mrs Benyiwa-Doe said apart from forts, castles, the Kakum National Park and beaches which serve as tourist attractions in the Central Region, all the 17 districts in the region had investment potentials in the vast land which could be used for palm, coconut, citrus, pineapple, cocoa and teak plantations.
For his part, the acting Executive Director of the Central Regional Development Commission (CEDECOM), Mr Spencer Fancis Taylor, described the region as the heart beat of tourism in Ghana.
He also urged tourists and investors to take advantage of the numerous opportunities in the region and do business with the people.
Mr Taylor said in addition to agriculture, investors were welcome to invest in salt production, fish storage and processing and preservation of fruits and vegetables.
He noted that roads leading to the region were among the best in the country, adding that good telecommunications system, electricity and water were also available.
The Executive Director stated that the commission had a one-stop investment centre where potential investors were assisted to acquire land and also get all the necessary documentations prepared.
Mr Taylor also pointed out that being the only region with a Development Commission (CEDE-com), the region was prepared to facilitate investment processes at a reduced cost and make business in the region easier.
Mr Taylor described the Central Region as Prez Obama's preferred tourism destination and urged the visiting journalists to help sell it to the outside world.
On behalf of the RCC, Mrs Benyiwa Doe presented Kente to each of the visiting journalists, staff of the Ministry of Tourism and the tourist guide who accompanied the team.
Present at the reception was the Ghana National Fire Service Band in Cape Coast, which provided music.