The Mastercard Foundation in partnership with CENFRI and the African Tourism Research Network (ATRN) are working together to promote and advance the development of tourism in Ghana.
With this objective in mind, ATRN in collaboration with the Ghana Tourism Federation (GHATOF) would be hosting a number of training programs as implementing partners for the execution of the promotion and development of key sectors of the country’s tourism value chain.
Emmanuel Frimpong, President of the Africa Tourism Research Network and CEO, Pishon Consult Ltd said the partnership would produce greater results and ultimately impactful mutual benefits for all stakeholders in the tourism industry.
“There would be a follow-up to an earlier workshop we organized on the topic Stakeholders in Tourism and Hospitality, Data and Digitalisation Economy.
The workshop was conducted on the 11th of August 2023 to pave the way for further training programs to be rolled out as and when necessary.
Consequently, the current follow-up workshop, would be led by CENFRI and CDC Consult and would focus primarily on the following two critical areas.
First, an ” Insights from the Ghanaian tourism sector” This segment, will discuss the state of the Ghanaian tourism sector, delving into key challenges that are hindering the development of tourism, and untapped opportunities in the sector for growing the necessary areas of the tourism value chain” he underscored.
This discussion, he noted would also focus primarily on how data and digital technology are being used among private and public sector players to improve performance of activities within the tourism sector
In doing so, we would explore and find solutions to the barriers hindering greater application of data and digital technology adoption, and further highlight hidden opportunities that would guarantee an enhanced use of data and digital technology.
These opportunities, Emmanuel Frimpong said would include increasing revenue generation, savings, improving cost of operations, better customer segmentation and analysis, and improving tourism services and products.
Recommendations for the public and private sectors
This segment, he observed would build on addressing challenges and opportunities of the industry, and provide practical recommendations for public and private stakeholders to grow the tourism market.
These recommendations, he added would provide practical and contextual solutions based on critical analysis to improve the business.
The questions that would arise, he said would include, what would be involved in carrying out all these programs, why they are relevant and necessary, and how they can be effectively implemented.
He said considering the activities that would take place, the stakeholders have proposed day one (Friday 20th October 2023) for the workshop to be held at the Fiesta Royale Hotel.
“It would be attended by 75 participants drawn from academia, private and public sectors.
Day 2, 3, and 4 (23rd, 24th, and -25th October respectively, the workshop would be held at MEST in East Legon.
It would focus on a training session specifically on the principles of tourism marketing and leveraging data for decision-making.
This training would be led by CENFRI and would focus on how to create the most optimal digital presence for Ghana’s tourism sector, Digitally handling selling propositions for national campaigns, making and managing marketing messages, effectively communicating with tourists, and turning interest and intrigues into booking and buying, and leveraging data available to make strategic and well-informed decisions such as collecting, analyzing and leveraging data on customer feedback and experiences, seasonality, and tourist segmentation to inform national strategic objectives”
The objectives of these training sessions, he said are as follows.
To provide key stakeholders in the tourism sector with the tools necessary to improve their businesses and champion the lessons and benefits from this training programs and take the training materials and learning tools and re-train association members, tourism operators, and other relevant stakeholders.
From this training, Emmanuel Frimpong said stakeholders would receive practical guidance, templates on how to implement the points above, and key materials to take these lessons home and re-train operators and relevant stakeholders in the market.
Emmanuel Frimpong, President of Africa Tourism Research Network and CEO, Pishon Consult Ltd confirmed he would be the convener of the workshops and the various training sessions.
By: Zambaga Rufai Saminu | Metrotvonline.com | Ghana
