The Managing Director of Ridge Royal Hotel in Cape Coast, Sheila Adjetey-Anum, says the Central Region has more tourism opportunities to offer visitors beyond its historic castles and forts.
She said the region could attract more tourists, particularly members of the African diaspora, by promoting its cultural heritage, local cuisine and other attractions as part of a comprehensive tourism experience.
Speaking to Myjoyonline.com on the sidelines of the ongoing 6th iNTTA Expo at Ridge Royal Hotel in Cape Coast on Thursday, October 22, she said the hospitality industry must work closely with tourism operators to package and market the region’s attractions.
“We have Cape Coast Castle, we have Elmina Castle, we have Hanskate, we have quite a number of places. I mean, there’s a canopy walk that you can do, but are we selling that enough in terms of tourism?” she asked.
Ms Adjetey-Anum said Ridge Royal Hotel offers packages that allow guests to explore Cape Coast and other attractions, arguing that hospitality should extend beyond providing accommodation.
“When you live or stay with us at Ridge Royal, we do have packages. So we’ll let you tour Cape Coast and a few other places and all of that; so it becomes an experience,” she said.
She also identified local cuisine as an area with significant potential to strengthen the region’s appeal, particularly among diaspora visitors seeking to reconnect with their heritage.
“But the food, I don’t think we have given out a lot in terms of what you can get here in Cape Coast,” she said, calling for greater promotion of traditional dishes such as Fante fante, kenkey and fish.
Ms Adjetey-Anum said promoting these experiences alongside the region’s historical attractions could help deepen visitors’ understanding of Ghanaian culture and encourage more people to explore Cape Coast.
Her comments come as tourism and hospitality stakeholders meet at the iNTTA Expo in Cape Coast to discuss investment opportunities and strategies for growing the sector.
The expo’s second day, Thursday, October 22, is being held under the theme “From Vision to Transactions”, with discussions focusing on investment opportunities across tourism, hospitality and related industries.