The first phase of the highly anticipated Ghana’s National Tourism Destination Single Window Project has been unveiled with the introduction of the visitGhana app.
The all-in-one application and platform is expected to enhance service quality across the tourism value chain and bring service providers and customers into one marketplace.
Apart from streamlining the services and operations of the country’s tourism sector, the initiative would also provide real time data for policymakers and investors.
Addressing industry players, the diplomatic community, media and patrons at the launch earlier today, July 12 Tourism Minister, Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal indicated that the visitGhana app is a must have by all tourism sector businesses, urging, “download and install the app, whether you are a service provider, a visitor or someone who wants to find out about Ghana’s unique tourism offerings”.
The single window project, which is categorized into three segments known as modules, with each aimed at addressing identified needs in the industry, will also block loopholes to maximize revenue generation.
The consolidated portal, has information relevant to the industry for visitors and tourists about Ghana, be it business, tourism, service providers, geo-location, social media mapping among others.
Module one of the project, focuses on enhancing the tourism levy collection process to raise needed funding for destination marketing, capacity building and infrastructural projects. Module two, aims at automating Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) processes and providing a seamless interface with relevant stakeholders, with module three aiming at promoting Ghana as an attractive tourism destination globally.
These modules, according to Dr Awal is meant to deepen public access to information on the country’s tourism profile in a broader angle, even for domestic tourists.
He maintained that the sector’s presence on the internet, could go a long way to meet Ghana’s target of registering a commanding presence in the African tourism.
“We want to create one million jobs by 2024 in the domestic tourism scene and a lot is required to attain this feat. Let’s see tourism as a business and think that we are opportunistic entrepreneurs. Car rentals, hoteliers, tour guides and restaurant owners must not consider their operations and tourism as business as usual,” he added.
GTA’s CEO, Mr Akwasi Agyeman, said the Single Window Destination project is targeted at promoting excellence in the tourism industry by raising the standards of hospitality agencies and improving their services.
He said the platform is user-friendly and currently has about 150 operators signed on to it.
He said the project will also address the situation where less than 30% of industry operators are currently not plugged on to any global tourism platform.
“We all know that currently tourism infrastructure and tourism supply and demand place very highly on several platforms but here we found out that most of our operators were missing. But then the feedback we got from our feasibility studies was that about 80% of the respondents were eager that Ghana would have its own platform which is all-engaging and enhancing transactions,” he revealed.
President of the Ghana Tourism Federation, Bella Ahu also urged industry operators to sign on to the app as it would ensure their visibility on a global scale. She charged them to step up their efforts in the provision of quality and enhanced services.
The visitGhana app is available on the GooglePlay, AppStore with a web version at gta.visitghana.com
Story by: Samuel Obeng Appah
