The Mayor of Cape Coast Metropolis in the Central Region, George Justice Arthur, has called for stronger partnerships between tourism businesses and local farmers, fishers and food processors to ensure that tourism spending generates more income and jobs for local communities.
He said hotels, restaurants and other hospitality businesses should be encouraged to source more of their supplies locally to strengthen the domestic economy.
“Hotels and restaurants should be encouraged to source more of their fresh produce, fish, processed foods, crafts and other sustainable inputs from local enterprises that can meet their requirement for quality, consistency and food safety,” he said.
Mr Arthur was speaking at the opening ceremony of the sixth Inter Tourism Expo Accra (iNTTA) at the Ridge Royal Hotel in Cape Coast on Wednesday, October 21.
He said tourism should no longer be treated as an isolated service industry but as a platform for industrial development, regional trade, cultural diplomacy and investment.
“When a visitor arrives at a destination, the benefits can extend far beyond the hotel in which that visitor stays,” he said, citing farmers, fishmongers, transport operators, tour guides, artisans and digital service providers as potential beneficiaries.
Mr Arthur said the goal should be to build a tourism economy that retains more value within local communities, strengthens businesses and creates decent employment opportunities, particularly for young people and women.
He urged agribusiness operators, financial institutions, tourism businesses and development partners to establish practical partnerships that connect local production to the demand of the hospitality industry.
“The food served to tourists should tell the story of our people, our land and our culture,” he said.
According to him, stronger links between tourism and local production could ensure that money spent by visitors circulates through farms, markets, processing facilities, transport services and households.
The Mayor said the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly had taken steps to improve the tourism experience, including establishing a tourism subcommittee to bring industry players together to discuss how the assembly could support the sector.
He also cited a partnership with Cape Coast Technical University to establish a visitor centre at the Biodiversity Centre at Wakano, which receives tourists and connects them to attractions in the metropolis and the wider Cape Coast area.
Mr Arthur said the assembly was seeking to position Cape Coast as a global tourism destination by combining its historical heritage with investment in hospitality, cultural enterprises and digital tourism services.
He identified opportunities in heritage accommodation, boutique hotels, restaurants, conference facilities, guided tours, food processing, fisheries and digital tourism platforms.
He urged investors to support commercially viable tourism projects capable of generating local employment and called for improved coordination between tourism promotion, urban planning, agriculture, transport, education and youth employment.
“The Expo should not end with photographs, speeches and exchange business cards alone. It should lead to follow-up meetings, project proposals, partnerships and action that can be tracked over time,” he said.
The three-day expo, running from October 21 to 23, is bringing together tourism professionals, investors, government representatives, entrepreneurs and development partners to explore opportunities in tourism, trade, agribusiness, digital innovation and infrastructure.
The event is being held under the theme, “6th Inter Tourism Expo (iNTTA) and the 24-Hour Africa Economy, Agribusiness, Digital Sovereignty and AfCFTA Industrial Acceleration Conference and Investment Programme.”
The expo was expected to attract more than 300 tourism and hospitality professionals, investors and other stakeholders to explore investment opportunities and strengthen partnerships across the sector.
The decision to host this year’s edition in Cape Coast after five editions in Accra is intended to showcase tourism opportunities beyond the capital, with particular attention to the Central Region’s heritage assets and investment potential.