Men in Business Tourism (MBT) has been launched in Accra with a call for tourism stakeholders to coordinate efforts to get more men into the tourism and hospitality sector.
MBT, a non-governmental organisation, aims to develop and promote tourism in Ghana and beyond by training and building capacity, organising cultural exchange programmes, and development of policy to support government and tourism promotion at travel shows.
The organisation’s president, Bernard Adum, addressing guests at the launch ceremony said MBT’s major aim is to equip more men to promote tourism in Ghana through continuous collaboration with government agencies and other related entities.
While pursuing the above, he explained, MBT will also develop and promote tourism businesses, products and services which project Ghana as a tourism destination.
“We seek to bring men together to harness the investment opportunities in this sector to create decent and new additional jobs for men. We are inspired to achieve these by building strong social relationships and networks – a solid basis for collaborative activity that allows quick accomplishment of tasks,” Mr. Adum noted.
Chief Executive of the Ghana Tourism Development Company (GTDC), Kwadwo Antwi who was guest speaker at the event, said institution of the MBT is timely considering there are more women in the tourism value chain of Ghana.
“Hotels are back on their feet and are often fully booked as in-person conferences have 100 percent resumed, thanks to the innovative measures of government which have fully revived the sector. The MBT will offer men an equal opportunity for jobs in the sector,” he said.
According to him, President Akufo-Addo has prioritised the tourism sector more than any other after the pandemic, saying this has presented a reason for stakeholders to work hard to sustain and maintain the confidence and investment made into the sector to enable it to thrive.
“Government is fully committed to seeing tourism remain a leading employer in the country, and the GTDC will continue to support entities such as the MBT to succeed,” Mr. Antwi noted.
He asked leadership of the organisation to uphold unity and work in the interest of its set goals and ambitions to consolidate the growth of Ghana’s tourism.
Chairperson for the occasion, Okatakyie Nana Anim – Akyem Tafo Sanaahene, asked the MBT to prioritise the promotion of Ghana’s cultural norms and values to the outside world.
“While thinking about money, we must also project the historical and cultural values of this country to the outside world. It is important that we speak our indigenous languages anywhere we find ourselves without being shy,” he advised.
