Presentation tourism investment forum Ghana

International Tourism Investment Forum / Tourism Infrastructure

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INTERNATIONAL TOURISM INVESTMENT FORUM

(ITIF2010)

Theme: “Ghana – Time to Explore, the Role of the

Investor in the Tourism Sector

Date: 26th July – 1st August ,2010

Venue: Accra International Conference Centre

Tourism Infrastructure DevelopmentBy

J.B. Lomo-Mainoo(Tourism Development Planner)


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NATIONAL AND TOURISM POLICIES AND OBJECTIVES

The long-term vision for Ghana is that by the year 2020, the country will have achieved a balanced economy and a middle-income country status and standard of living.

"This will be realized by creating an

open and liberal market economy, founded on competition, initiative and creativity, that employs science and technology in deriving maximum productivity from the use of all our human and natural resources and in optimizing the rate of economic and social development, with due regard to the protection of the environment and to equity in the distribution of the benefits of development."


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International tourism should be expanded to bring socio-economic benefits to the country including generating income, employment, foreign exchange earnings and government revenues, serving as a catalyst to expansion of other economic sectors, and strengthening both the urban and rural economies.

International tourism should also be expanded to expose Ghana's unique cultural and environmental heritage to the world and increase mutual international understanding between Ghanaians and foreigners.


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The organizational approach to developing and managing tourism should emphasize close coordination and cooperation being maintained among the various public agencies and boards involved in tourism and between the public and private sectors related to tourism. Organizational mechanisms must be implemented to achieve this coordination.

All tourist facilities and services should meet acceptable sanitation, safety, comfort and service standards and be environmentally compatible.

A variety of types and quality levels of facilities and services should be developed to satisfy the needs of the various different tourist market groups. Besides developing new facilities and services, emphasis should be given to improving and upgrading existing facilities and services where feasible.


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Emphasis must be given to the implementation of tourism plans and development with suitable regulatory, financial and organizational techniques applied.

Equally important to emphasize are

effective management of the tourism sector and continuous monitoring of the impacts of tourism development.

Mobilization of adequate public

and private financial resources for developing tourism is essential.


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Both international and domestic tourism should be expanded on a planned and controlled basis so that it brings benefits without generating any serious environmental or social problems or distortions in the economy.

Problems resulting from uncontrolled tourism in other destinations should be avoided in Ghana through application of the planned development approach.

Establishing carrying capacity standards should be considered an important aspect of infrastructure planning for sustainable tourism development.


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Any major tourism development should be based on an integrated regional development approach that considers accessibility, availability of tourist attractions, facilities, services and infrastructure, and other relevant factors.

Development should take place in a prioritized, staged manner but with development and its benefits spread as widely as possible throughout the country.


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CATEGORIES OF TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE

Tourism Infrastructure fall into two categories: “Soft and Hard

Soft InfrastructureThis relates mainly to intellectual, managerial, administrative and technical support that the public and private tourism sectors provide on a variety of tourism initiatives that have been identified.

The focused objective is on maximizing tourist numbers into the Country’s destinations for the resultant tourism revenue yield, in accordance with the set goals and targets.


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The ‘soft infrastructure’ issues recommended below are a pre-requisite in bringing about sustainability for development issues.

Managing perceptions of personal safety (Air, Road, Water & Rail Travels, Use of Water, Electricity & Telecommunication Services and Site Visits

Market research of tourist source markets & their ‘needs’ for a comprehensive management of the ‘Supply Chain’

Ease of access of designated tourism routes

Monitoring and evaluation of product development to prioritize models for each destination.


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Hard Infrastructure

Hard Infrastructure relates more to the physical built requirements that are necessary to facilitate ‘ease-of-access’ for tourists, as well as making it interesting and simpler for the tourists to remain in the country for longer periods. It refers to all forms of construction, mostly on or below ground level, required to support the effective functioning of tourism facilities and services.

Tour sites and circuits must be linked with high quality, reliable and exciting transportation modes and the destinations must provide high quality indoor and outdoor recreational facilities.


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Provision of adequate hard infrastructure is a prerequisite for developing tourism.

Lack of hard infrastructure precludes the development of tourism, and limited infrastructure is a serious constraint on tourism attaining its full development potential.


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BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS Transportation facilities and services

including air, land and water transportation providing access to and within the country.

Water supply sources and distribution.

Electric power generation and distribution.

Post and telecommunications.

Sewage and solid waste disposal.

Drainage systems in developed areas.

Fire protection facilities and services.


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BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS Provision of these basic

infrastructure systems is the responsibility of the government while on-site infrastructure is the responsibility of the site developer.

Currently in Ghana, under PNDC Law 207, greater responsibility for provision of urban infrastructure is allocated to the district assemblies.

The basic infrastructure systems are mostly multi-purpose serving general community as well as specific sector needs such as tourism.


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BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS

Developing tourism, however, often requires that infrastructure be developed to serve particular tourism development sites, and general-purpose infrastructure may need to be expanded and improved specifically to serve tourism development in an area.

Also, infrastructure development

must be prioritized in consonance with the staging of tourism development.


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BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE SYSTEMS The Bortiano, Korobite and Langma

Experience: Our inability to follow through the implementation of Master plans has diminished the potential these coastal sites.

The Ada Foah Misery: One of the most scenic places in Ghana - the Volta River Estuary, lack of infrastructure development i.e. dredging, water and electricity supply has dwindled its appeal.

Aflao, Elubo and Paga Entry points: Infrastructure development and provision of facilities could have generated a very buoyant local economy for these land entry points.

The Accra and Kumasi Predicaments: Poor urban planning has marred the tourism appeal of these cities.

The Mole National Park Intervention: Infrastructure development support for the Park funded by the Dutch government has improved its tourism appeal


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UPPERWESTZONE

HAMILE

GBELER.R

WA

GWOLLU

YIKPABONGO

PAGA

NAVRONGO

BOLGATANGATONGO

UPPEREASTZONE

NALERIGU

XULEGUGU

NORTHERNZONE

MOLE N.P.

Volta

Wnt

o

DABOYA.

TAMALE

LARABANGA.

BUIPE.

YENDI

Black Volta

BUIN.P.

BRONGAHAFOZONE

DORMAA AHENKRO

SUNYANI

MIM

KINTAMPO

BOABENG FIEMA

SALAGA

KYABOBO N.P.

KE

TEK

RA

CH

I

SENE

DIGYA N.P.

BIA N.P.

CRAFT VILLAGES.OWABI W.S

KUMASI

ASHANTIZONEBOMFOBIRIW.S.

LAKEBOSUMTWI

LAKE VOLTA

VOLTAZONE

BEGORO

BOTIFALLS

KALAKPAR.R.

HO

KPANDU

EASTERNZONE

Tan

o R

ive

r

OBUASI.

Pra

Riv

er

ABURIAKROPONG

SHAI HILLS

SOGAKOPE

AFLAO

KETA

ADA

ELUBO.NINI SUHIEN TARKWA.N.P.

HALF ASSINI

WESTERNZONE

NZULEZU

CAPE THREE POINTS

AXIM

DIXCOVE

KAKUM N.P.

CENTRAL ZONESEKONDI TAKORADI

BRENU ELMINA

CAPE COAST

ASSIN MANSOGREATER ACCRAZONE

ABREKUM

FETEHKOKROBITE

ACCRATEMA

PRAMPRAM

Tourist Gateway

Tourism Centre

Tourist Stopover

Excursion Road

Excursion Rallway

Volta Lake Crulso

TourismZone

AKOSOMBO

TOURISM ZONES, CENTRES & TOURISTS EXCURSION ROUTES


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TOURIST EXCURSION ROUTES Tourist excursion routes in Ghana are Roads,

Railway, Air, Lake and River Transportation Routes that connect Tourism Zones, Tourism Centres and Tourist Stopovers and, where possible, provide scenic views.

These excursion routes are taken by tourists for sightseeing and to reach tourism centres and tourist stopovers. These routes provide an interesting travel experience and are potentially attractions in themselves.

The excursion roads for the development of tourism connect the tourism zones and centres and provide access to tourist stopovers. In many places, these roads offer scenic views and are attraction in themselves.

A basic principle is that roads should be multi-purpose and serve general transportation needs as well as tourism, but a few new roads will be needed for developing tourism, especially to provide access to attraction features and development sites.


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THE EXCURSION ROADS

The excursion roads for the development of tourism connect the tourism zones and centres and provide access to tourist stopovers. In many places, these roads offer scenic views and are attractions in themselves.

A basic principle is that roads should be multi-purpose and serve general transportation needs as well as tourism, but a few new roads will be needed for developing tourism, especially to provide access to attraction features and development sites.


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EXCURSION RAILWAY

The existing railway network connecting Accra, Sekondi-Takoradi and Kumasi provides scenic views, access to interesting stopovers and major tourism centres and offers the inherent fascination of railway travel.

The railway owns several specially designed tourist cars which provide a comfortable ride and amenity features. However, rail travel for tourists has not been organized and promoted and the tourist cars have been seldom used.


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EXCURSION RAILWAY

Advantage should be taken of this opportunity for developing tourist rail travel as an additional attraction for tourists.

The railway museum proposed for development in Sekondi-Takoradi would be an interesting and logical complement to promoting the railway for tourist excursions.


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VOLTA LAKE AND RIVER BOAT CRUISES

Lake Volta and sections of the Volta River offer the possibility for scenic boat cruises with stopovers at interesting places.

A tourist boat cruise with considerable capacity (Dodi Princess) is already available on weekends on Volta Lake from the Akosombo area to Dodi Island. Cargo boats with limited passenger facilities ply the full length of Volta Lake between Akosombo and Buipe.


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UPPERWESTZONE

HAMILE

GBELER.R

WA

GWOLLU

YIKPABONGO

PAGA

NAVRONGO

BOLGATANGATONGO

UPPEREASTZONE

NALERIGU

XULEGUGU

NORTHERNZONE

MOLE N.P.

Volta

Wnt

o

DABOYA.

TAMALE

LARABANGA.

BUIPE.

YENDI

Black Volta

BUIN.P.

BRONGAHAFOZONE

DORMAA AHENKRO

SUNYANI

MIM

KINTAMPO

BOABENG FIEMA

SALAGA

KYABOBO N.P.

KE

TEK

RA

CH

I

SENE

DIGYA N.P.

BIA N.P.

CRAFT VILLAGES.OWABI W.S

KUMASI

ASHANTIZONEBOMFOBIRIW.S.

LAKEBOSUMTWI

LAKE VOLTA

VOLTAZONE

BEGORO

BOTIFALLS

KALAKPAR.R.

HO

KPANDU

EASTERNZONE

Tan

o R

ive

r

OBUASI.

Pra

Riv

er

ABURIAKROPONG

SHAI HILLS

SOGAKOPE

AFLAO

KETA

ADA

ELUBO.NINI SUHIEN TARKWA.N.P.

HALF ASSINI

WESTERNZONE

NZULEZU

CAPE THREE POINTS

AXIM

DIXCOVE

KAKUM N.P.

CENTRAL ZONESEKONDI TAKORADI

BRENU ELMINA

CAPE COAST

ASSIN MANSOGREATER ACCRAZONE

ABREKUM

FETEHKOKROBITE

ACCRATEMA

PRAMPRAM

Tourist Gateway

Tourism Centre

Tourist Stopover

Excursion Road

Excursion Rallway

Volta Lake Crulso

TourismZone

AKOSOMBO


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VOLTA LAKE AND RIVER BOAT CRUISES

These existing cruises could be extended to include luxury cruises for longer trips, more stopovers and more frequent service for tourist use.


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AIR ACCESS

Air access -- Most international tourists arrive in Ghana by air but domestic air service is not yet much developed or used by tourists.

The major recommended improvements are: remodeling and expansion of Kotoka International airport to handle more traffic movements and passengers with increase of the frequency of international air flights as needed and provision of charter flights on a selective basis;

Expansion of the Kumasi Airport and establishment of West African regional flights to Kumasi. Expansion of the Tamale Airport to support tourism and the Savannah Development Initiative


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AIR ACCESS

Improvements to other airfields including Mole National Park, Wa and Bolgatanga.

Development of new airfields to serve Cape Coast and Takoradi and expansion of both regular and Charter Domestic air service including Helicopter Services.

A new international airport planned for development in the Ningo Prampram area over the long-term must receive immediate attention.


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TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE & PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Tourism practitioners must think of “product development” not only in the context of creating new attractions, but also in linking existing assets in new, more powerful ways. In essence, linking utilizes “mental mortar” rather than “bricks and mortar” to move the thinking forward.

Product development must also consider enhancing existing infrastructure assets to ensure they stay fresh and responsive to evolving consumer demands. Thus “create, link and enhance” has to be consistently considered when considering product development applications.

A second key principle is the importance of truly evaluating the power of a destination’s product. The terms “Destination Driver,” “Driver Accelerants” and “Dependent Amenities” must be utilized to assist Ghana in considering its current and future product base.


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TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE & PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT These terms can be thought of in the

following manner: ♦ Destination Drivers – those products

that truly stimulate the fundamental travel decision, are often identified with the destination itself and can drive large levels of visitation;

♦ Driver Accelerants - products that are important additions to the travel experience and can help solidify the decision on where to travel; and

♦ Dependent Amenities – those products that travelers will often frequent once they arrive at a destination, but they rarely play an integral role in the travel decision.

In looking to the future, we must particularly focus on new product initiatives that can play the role of new drivers. Caution should be used to ensure that limited resources are not targeted towards efforts that solely add just one more dependent amenity.


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THANK YOU!

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Presentation tourism investment forum Ghana