The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has begun a countrywide training, registration and licensing of tour and site guides.
The programme which is under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and in collaboration with the Tour Guides Association of Ghana (TORGAG) saw over 100 tour and site guides from Greater Accra and Tema undergoing the programme which was held from September 12 to 14.
The training programme aims at streamlining the activities of tour, site and coach guides in order to maintain industry standards with the objective of providing a formal medium to register, train and license Tour Guides and discuss related issues.
The training programme falls in line with the provisions of the Tourism Act, 2011(ACT 817) which has provisions for training and capacity building.
With the development of the Tourist sites and attractions regulations, the training programme is expected to help add up and equip these guides at the sites and attractions with the requisite skills and experience.
Participants were taken through topics such as Tourism in Focus – Current Trends, Tourism in Focus – Current Trends, Tour Guiding Today, Tourism Enterprises, Tour Guide at Work, Role, Function and Ethics, The Tourism Product, Tools of the Tour Guide, Communications, Presentations and Interpretations, Industry Safety and Security among others.
In addition to that was the field exposition which took the participants to various tourist sites and attractions such as the Ghana Museum, Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum, etc.
At the closing ceremony of the three days programme, Mr. Isaac Adomako- Mensah, Deputy Executive Director, Finance And Administration -GTA, who represented the CEO, Akwasi Agyemang charged the trained Guides to apply the knowledge, experience and skills acquired on the field. He revealed that the Ministry and the GTA are working on bringing into being, the Tourist Sites and Attractions Regulations.
Also present was the Mrs. Bella Ahu, President, Ghana Tourism Federation who expressed appreciation to the Ghana Tourism Authority especially the Chief Executive, Mr. Akwasi Agyeman for such an “innovative Training Programme for the Tourism Sector.” She was of the view that the Public Private Partnership within the tourism sector has taken a new dimension with the constant collaboration between the two.
She also charged the participants to apply what they have acquired effectively and efficiently for the good of the tourism industry.
Other dignitaries present were Mr. Awuku Yirenkyi, TORGAG, Mr. Kuntaa Dominic Dekumwine Head of Musuems, Ghana Musuems and Monuments Board and Ms. Josephine Ohene-Osei who represented the Ministry.
