Newly appointed Ghanaian Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Catherine Afeku made known her agency’s intent during a courtesy call by the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana Sun Baohong. (Photo : Facebook)
Ghana aims to attract the attention of Chinese tourists looking to explore Africa through a China-Ghana Tourism Program proposed by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, which plans to make the country a choice destination for its numerous heritage sites.
Newly-appointed Ghanaian Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Catherine Afeku made known her agency's intent during a courtesy call by the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana Sun Baohong. The two also discussed various ideas on how best to improve China-Ghana cooperation through their respective functions.
The number of Chinese tourists continues to grow as the Chinese middle class continues to expand on the backbone of China's rapid economic growth; Ghana seeks to take advantage of that through its vibrant cultural heritage, which Baohong herself has acknowledged.
Afeku, for her part, asked Baohong for any measures that would assist Ghana in rehabilitating one of its cultural landmarks, the National Theatre in time for the country's 60th independence anniversary. Baohong responded with pledges to support the country in a wide variety of fields, Ghana Web reported.
Programs involving cultural exchange and student exchange are some of the promises presented by Baohong to Afeku, and Ghana can also expect improvement in logistical needs related to tourism, arts and culture, as the country endeavors to attract the attention of more Chinese tourists.
Africa has become an attractive destination for Chinese tourists as of late, with many of them citing the continent's exciting biodiversity and exotic cultural facets. Such is expected to improve in the coming years, as many of them increase their inclination towards cultural attractions.
Previously, Chinese tourists are reputed for their lavish shopping habits, which has since helped the likes of Japan and Thailand in growing their already-expansive retail sectors. Other regions such as Southeast Asia have started attracting mainlanders for rich cultural experiences.
