Initiatives instituted by the Ministry of Tourism and its implementing agency, the Ghana Tourism Authority, to boost domestic tourism are paying off as visitations to last year�s Easter Paragliding Festival indicates.According to statistics provided by the Authority, Ghanaian visitor-participation at last year�s event was 72.87% as against 11.2% for Americans, 3.9% for Germans, 2.2% for British citizens, 1.7% for Canadians, and 1.3% each for Australia and Denmark.Furthermore, 0.9% were Indians and 0.4% came from Nigeria, Togo, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands.
This evidently suggests that the event is gradually becoming part of the vacation plan of Ghanaians, Minister of Tourism Ms. Akua Sena Dansua said at the launch of the 7th edition of the Paragliding Festival on Wednesday, dubbed �Okwahu 2012 Paragliding Festival�.
The festival, which started seven years ago to coincide with Easter festivities in the Kwahu area, has become a unique attraction in the tourism calendar -- and this year�s festival comes with added attractions. It includes health walks, a durbar of chiefs, street jams and a new refreshing dimension is a hiking expedition to be organised by an adventure company called Braveheart Expeditions.
The 89-kilometre walk will be done in four days from Atibie to Nkyenkyne, with 250 people so far registering. According to Dziedzorm Segbefia, a representative of Braveheart Expeditions, they will be in 10 groups and the eventual winner will receive GH�2,000.00. Registration is GH�50.00 per head.He said the adventurers will be equipped with GPS maps, tents, and other tools.
Ms. Sena Dansua revealed that at last year�s event, almost all hotels on the Kwahu Ridge were 96.6% booked with an average night stay of three days. Other local facility operators such as restaurants, pubs, night-clubs, and souvenir markets earned increased patronage during the festival.She said the festival is meant to diversify and add value to tourism potentials and products in the Kwahu area to ensure maximum patronage. She expressed the hope that with the passage of a new tourism law, Act 817, last year, tourism will be taken to the next level.
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