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The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Honourable Catherine Ablema Afeku on the 27th of March travelled to the Peoples Republic of China to attend the 13th edition of the China Outbound Travel & Tourism Market (COTTM).

The three day event was held on 29th to 31st March, 2017 at the New Hall of the National Agricultural Exhibition Centre, Beijing.

COTTM is regarded as the industry's most important platform and remains the only business to business event which focuses purely on the burgeoning outbound market.

It is a show that has an undisputed status as the industry’s business to business event for outbound tourism with another record of high growth over four hundred (400) exhibitors from over sixty (60) countries and it is the meeting place for the outbound tourism sector.

The Honourable minister, during her attendance held a press conference to showcase through a documentary, Ghana’s Tourist sites, Arts and Culture.

She projected in her presentation how peaceful, safe and business friendly Ghana is and also elaborated on the Marine Drive project and the hopes that the project will transform the Accra Coastline into a tourism enclave. The guests were very pleased and entertained with a variety of Ghana’s Cultural dance.

She also took the opportunity to grant an interview to CEN Tv in China, where she highlighted to promote Ghana’s Arts, Culture and potential tourism business opportunities under President Nana Addo Dankwa Addo’s NPP led government.

For Ghana to meet the growing demand of Luxury Tourism Segment and receiving tremendous increased attention from tourism destinations worldwide, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Honourble Catherine Afeku with Ghana’s Trade envoy to China, Mr. Kwadwo Atuahene and Beryl Agyeiwaa Lomotey (Counsellor/ Economic) met Chinese Trade Investors and qualified visitors to interact and woo them of the Tourism opportunities to explore in the areas of business and job creation, as well as to instantly find high-end travel services and discover more about what luxury travel has to offer the Chinese outbound market.

She also outlined Ghana’s enviable prospective opportunities under President Akufo-Addo in the industry and promised her ever ready helpful stance, in strengthening Ghana-China investments in the tourism industry for socio-economic development of both countries and to a larger extent that of other Countries.

COTTM is a pure business to business and a hundred percent (100%) outbound tourism focused exhibition held yearly in the capital of the PRC.

The 2017 show was attended by almost five thousand (5,000) Chinese and other different Nationals, with buyers from the leading outbound tour operators and travel agencies visiting the stands of exhibitors from over (sixty) 60 countries.

Hon. Afeku’s delegation was made up of the Chief Director of her ministry, Nana Bright Oduro-Kwarteng, Projects Director Dr. Joel Sonne, some Ghana Tourism Authority staffs and the CEO of Ghana Tourism Development Company, Mr. Kojo Antwi.

The Minister with her delegation has since arrived in Ghana.