#STORIFY: What you missed from today's Show reflecting on World Tourism Day, & International Universal Access to Information Day

COMING UP!>>Ep.73 | Season 4; Ep.8 > Aif@2: AfriTourism (4): Of Agricultural Tourism & Repeat-Purchase, or a Tale of “Think Ghana, Think Cocoa!”.

Episode #73

(Season 4; Ep.8)

Aif@2:  

AfriTourism (4): Of Agricultural Tourism & Repeat-Purchase, or a Tale of “Think Ghana, Think Cocoa!”

Season 4 is STILL on the theme of “making money for Africa”.

We commenced the Season unpacking the nitty-gritty of the Creative Economy, and concluded that Film, more than any other cog in the Creative Economy wheel, was probably the most dominant within that Economy. In episode 2, we appreciated how, if managed properly, Sports could become the biggest employer in Ghana, the sub region, and the Continent.

In episode 3, we started to treat the all-important topic of customer service, concluding that, Ghana can achieve an “insanely customer-centric culture” as seen in the West, but it takes exposure and training of frontline staff to do that.

In episode 4, we concluded that East Africa continues to rise, while episode 5 helped demystify Africa’s agriculture under the AU’s flagship programme of CAADP, concluding that issues around Agribusiness and nutrition will dominate discussions around Agriculture after the 12^th CAADP Partnership Platform meeting that was held in Accra mid-April. Last week in episode 6, we piggy-backed on the *UNCTAD E-Commerce week* that took place from 18-22 April concluding the show on Cyber-crime with the shocking conclusion that Ghana’s Cyber-awareness is at a shockingly low threshold.

Last week, we spoke to the West Africa Civil Society Institute to get updated on latest activities and publications, concluding that it was necessary to have a conversation about African philanthropy.

This week, we revisit the theme of AfriTourism...in a very special week when AIF turns 2 years old!

Back in September, 2014, our first focus on Afri-Tourism was powerful and deliberate: we had a definition for our listeners on what defines Afri-Tourism. We defined it as “the witting attempt by Africans to purchase African products while visiting African countries.” 

This definition was based on a deliberate process of having had four tourism-related shows from which we drew inspiration for a definition. Again, to remind listeners:

• Ghana’s Forestry Sector & Eco-Tourism on 29 July, 2014
• Africa’s Aviation sector on 19 August, 2014
• Ghana’s Hotel Industry on 26 August, 2014
• Afri-Tourism on 9 September, 2014
• The Hotel Industry in Ghana & Africa (2); and a Chat with Miss Tourism 2013 on 30 September, 2014

The term “Afri-Tourism” has become entrenched in AIF’s history on account of the first-ever High-Level Forum on Regional Development in West Africa, which was sponsored by WACSI. At the forum, Kofi Akpabli made a presentation entitled “Towards Afri-Tourism: Making Ghana a viable Tourist Destination” in which he spoke of a kind of sub-regional tourism. Akpabli further spoke of regional tourism blocs, wondering whether West Africa is competing or actually complementing – as done in East Africa.

In 2015, we had a second show on AfriTourism, in which we brought Kofi Akpabli; Professor Boakye; and Aisha Boakye-Yiadom -- three familiar faces to AIF— who know their tourism inside out, and helped us navigate another conversation on it from a sub-regional; national; and continental perspective.

But 2015 was different for another reason as it would be the year when the UN World Tourism Organisation would hold a conference on Branding Africa. It would be there the host would meet the founder of #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou – 17-yr-old Rachel Emefa Markham, who says she will follow the footsteps of her grandfather-journalist’s career.

In February, we had a our third show interviewing the co-founder of Tourism Organisation of Safety and Security (TOSS), concluding that safety and security remains critical for the tourism industry

In this FOURTH & SPECIAL edition of AfriTourism, we introduce you “Think Ghana, Think Cocoa”, which was unveiled at the “Destination Legon” conference organised by the University of Ghana Business School back in mid-April. We were invited by Dr.Kobby Mensah, the brains behind the competition—the third of its kind— for Marketing and Tourism students.

Out of the competition, “Think Ghana, Think Cocoa” caught our heart – for which reason they are here today to help unpack for us how agricultural tourism and the concept of repeat purchase gave birth to the idea of “Think Ghana, Think Cocoa”.

Join us if you can at 2.05pm on 4 May, 2016.

Call us on the following numbers

+233(0)289.000.931

Guiding questions

• How central is the concept of repeat purchase in the tourism industry?
• What is agricultural tourism?
• Has Ghana paid enough attention to marketing cocoa?

Guest in the studio:

ØChristabel Tamakloe, Founder – Think Ghana, Think Cocoa!

   

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*more details will be available soon on www.africainfocusradioshow.org ; africainfocusshow.blogspot.com.

*Follow the conversations on #AfricainFocus on twitter: http://www.twitter.com/africainfocus14.

Tweet Emmanuel ahead of time on www.twitter.com/ekbensah, using #africainfocus.

Call Radio XYZ93.1FM on 0289.000.931 / 0289.931.000.

Follow 24/7 on https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.radioxyzonline.pc

Episode #62 (Season 3 Ep.18): “In Ghana, Tourism Development has been hindered by negative attitudes towards developing tourism in the country” – Tourism Expert

Episode #62

(Season 3 Ep.18):

“In Ghana, Tourism Development has been hindered by negative attitudes towards developing tourism in the country” – Tourism Expert

AFRICA IN FOCUS SHOW

ACCRA, Ghana – Founder of Tourism Safety & Security Initiative (TOSS) believes there are so many things Ghanaians can do in the country as far as tourism is concerned. He is proposing that “if we can trace the line down to Central region…down to Cape Coast, and once in a year, organize a festival tracing this line down to Nkonso…in a one-week celebration, we could celebrate it in festival, and climax it in PANAFEST…it would create a lot of tourists into the country.”

Speaking to “Africa in Focus” show host, E.K.Bensah Jr, in the first programme on “Afri-Tourism” for the year, he explained that “tourism is a unique industry and if Ghana is able to develop this concept, it would [help serve as] an economic hub for the country.” They want to “re-direct the psyche of tourism” in Ghanaians, he adds. He is calling on the support of the private sector to support the organisation and re-orient Ghanaians to the importance of tourism.

Although tourism is a commonsensical revenue-earner for Ghana, it emerged from the conversation that Ghanaians have yet to build either the enabling environment or the infrastructure for a thriving tourism industry.

A retired insurance man of the State Insurance Corporation, Kwame Twum-Ampofo founded TOSS in a bid to link the insurance sector with tourism. The whole idea was to find a way of using insurance to enable the tourism sector be more efficient. He says after the collapse of the Bonsu Bridge, a delegation of TOSS went to visit the site two weeks later. They asked management of Bonsu whether the place had been insured to which they answered “the organisation is in process of being insured.”

Asked why it took so long to re-launch TOSS after being dormant for a couple of years, he explained though they had challenges from the beginning, “interests in the objectives and activities of the organisation was rekindled as a result of increasing accidents in tourism industry on the domestic front, especially the 1 July, 2015 accident at Bonsu arboretum in the Eastern region involving the canopy walkway, which resulted in injuries of tourists.”

Pressed to explain why one must pay greater attention to safety and security in the industry, he explained how the tourist industry had become a soft target for terrorists all over the world, and why, therefore, an importance to safety and security was critical. In TOSS’s view, a response to this is what they call “Tourism Police”. Twum-Ampofo explained that, the Ghana Police Service would, like Thailand and Egypt, have a tourism unit. He explained that visibility, just like general police visibility, would be an important element. He continued “we want police to be visible in all tourist centres.”

As far as the conference on AU day—25 May— is concerned, Twum-Ampofo said there will be a trade fair and a seminar. It will be on awareness, safety and security. It is geared to sensitize the public on tourism. There are six thematic areas – Tourism Safety and Security Awareness; Tourism Police; Safety in Public Transport; Health and Safety Awareness; Insurance Banking; and Cultural Heritage. The main focus will be on Tourism Police.

ENDs

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The “Africa in Focus” Show is hosted by Emmanuel.K.Bensah Jr from 14h00 to 15h00 every Wednesday. You can download all podcasts from www.africainfocusradioshow.org . Follow the conversation on twitter on @africainfocus14 , using #africainfocus

COMING UP!!>>Episode #62 (Season 3, Ep.18): Afri-Tourism (3): Towards Tourism Police?

Episode #62 (Season 3, Ep.18):

Afri-Tourism (3): Towards Tourism Police?

Back on 9 September, 2014, our first focus on Afri-Tourism was powerful and deliberate: we had a definition for our listeners on what defines Afri-Tourism. We defined it as “the witting attempt by Africans to purchase African products while visiting African countries.”

This definition was not plucked out of the blue, but based on a deliberate process of having had four tourism-related shows from which we drew inspiration for a definition. Again, to remind listeners:

• Ghana’s Forestry Sector & Eco-Tourism on 29 July, 2014
• Africa’s Aviation sector on 19 August, 2014
• Ghana’s Hotel Industry on 26 August, 2014
• Afri-Tourism on 9 September, 2014
• The Hotel Industry in Ghana & Africa (2); and a Chat with Miss Tourism 2013 on 30 September, 2014

The term “Afri-Tourism” has become entrenched in AIF’s history on account of the first-ever High-Level Forum on Regional Development in West Africa, which was sponsored by WACSI. At the forum, Kofi Akpabli made a presentation entitled “Towards Afri-Tourism: Making Ghana a viable Tourist Destination” in which he spoke of a kind of sub-regional tourism. Akpabli further spoke of regional tourism blocs, wondering whether West Africa is competing or actually complementing – as done in East Africa.

In 2015, we had a second show on AfriTourism, in which we brought Kofi Akpabli; Professor Boakye; and Aisha Boakye-Yiadom -- three familiar faces to AIF— who know their tourism inside out, and helped us navigate another conversation on it from a sub-regional; national; and continental perspective.

But 2015 was different for another reason as it would be the year when the UN World Tourism Organisation would hold a conference on Branding Africa. It would be there the host would meet the founder of #TheAfricaTheMediaNeverShowsYou – 17-yr-old Rachel Emefa Markham, who says she will follow the footsteps of her grandfather-journalist’s career.

In this third show on AfriTourism, and the first for 2016, we are happy to be interviewing the Founder of the Tourism Organisation on Safety and Security (TOSS), which was re-launched in November 2015.

Even if we were to momentarily forget the collapse of the Bonsu bridge in 2015 that was passed off as “an act of God”, one cannot forget the increasing insecurity that terrorist attacks in the Sahel have caused, and its consequent and adverse backward and forward linkages on the tourism sector.

Now, more than ever, a conversation on the critical role of safety and its bedfellow – security – is needed. Could “tourism police” be an answer?

                                                                

Call us on the following numbers

+233(0)289.000.931

Join us if you can at 2.05pm on 17 February, 2015.

Guiding questions

·       Was the re-launch of TOSS necessitated by initial apathy of then-Tourism Board to focus areas of TOSS?

·       “Tourism Police” appears to be a major focus of TOSS. Why a focus on police?

·       How does one reconcile safety and security with tourism?

·       How important is a liberalization of Africa’s airlines important for the tourism industry?

·       What is the objective of the upcoming conference in May?

·      

 Guest in the studio:

Ø  Kwame Twum Ampofo, Founder/Director of Special Duties, Tourism Safety & Security Initiative(TOSS)

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more details will be available soon on www.africainfocusradioshow.org ; africainfocusshow.blogspot.com. Follow the conversations on #AfricainFocus on twitter: http://www.twitter.com/africainfocus14. Tweet Emmanuel ahead of time on www.twitter.com/ekbensah, using #africainfocus .

Call Radio XYZ93.1FM on 0289.000.931 / 0289.931.000.

Follow 24/7 on https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.radioxyzonline.pc

STORIFY Feature: What you missed from the 18 August, 2015 edition of "Africa in Focus" Show on Radio XYZ93.1 FM (#Tourism)

COMING UP!!>>Ep.51:Afri-Tourism (2): Matters Arising on Branding Africa when the UNWTO is in Town!

Episode #51:

Afri-Tourism (2): Matters Arising on Branding Africa when the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) is in Town!

Back on 9 September, 2014, our first focus on Afri-Tourism was powerful and deliberate: we had a definition for our listeners on what defines Afri-Tourism. Just to remind listeners, we defined it as “the witting attempt by Africans to purchase African products while visiting African countries.”

This definition was not plucked out of the blue, but based on a deliberate process of having had four tourism-related shows from which we drew inspiration for a definition. Again, to remind listeners:

• ·       Ghana’s Forestry Sector & Eco-Tourism on 29July, 2014
• ·       Africa’s Aviation sector on 19 August, 2014
• ·       Ghana’s Hotel Industry on 26 August, 2014
• ·       Afri-Tourism on 9 September, 2014
•    The Hotel Industry in Ghana & Africa (2); and aChat with Miss Tourism 2013 on 30 September, 2014

The term “Afri-Tourism” has become entrenched in AIF’s history on account of the first-ever High-Level Forum on Regional Development in West Africa, which was sponsored by WACSI. At the forum, Kofi Akpabli made a presentation entitled “Towards Afri-Tourism: Making Ghana a viable Tourist Destination” in which he spoke of a kind of sub-regional tourism. Akpabli further spoke of regional tourism blocs, wondering whether West Africa is competing or actually complementing – as done in East Africa?

In a week in which the UN World Tourism Organisation is in town for three days to discuss tourism and branding Africa, we at AIF believe it is an opportune time to re-visit both tourism—as practiced in Ghana and Africa—and “Afri-Tourism”.

To this end, we will be speaking to three tourism practitioner-experts who are no strangers to the AIF Show.

Kofi Akpabli; Professor Boakye; and Aisha Boakye-Yiadom are three familiar faces to AIF who know their tourism inside out, and will help us navigate another conversation on it from a sub-regional; national; and continental perspective.

Let’s go Afri-touring!

Call us on the following numbers when we open the phone lines at 14h30 GMT

+233(0)289.000.931 // +233(0)289.931.000

Join us if you can at 1pm on 11 August, 2015.

Guiding questions

• ·       What is the objective of Sekalaga Tours?
• ·       What is level of youth engagement of Sekalaga Tours in promoting travel/tourism?
• ·       What was outcome of ST’s “All-White Party” held in March 2015
• ·       What has been TRAC’s major work since establishment in 2014?
• ·       How important is security & safety to advocacy of TRAC?
• ·       In TRAC’s opinion, how should governments better-protect tourism trade?
• ·       Ebola is not over, but being managed, so how does one continue to make Ghana a viable tourist destination?
• ·       What about sub-regional tourism that East Africa does very well?
• ·       Can Ghana still be considered a honeymoon destination in West Africa?
• ·       What has reception been to Akpabli’s “Romancing Ghanaland – the Beauty of 10 Regions” and “Harmattan: a Cultural Profile of Northern Ghana” since book-reading?

Guests in the studio:

Ø  Asha Boakye-Yiadom, Sekalaga Tourist Attraction & Educational Resource

Ø  Juana Akuamoah-Boateng, Assistant Producer, AIF ReComm

Guests on the line:

Ø  Naa Lamiley Bentil, Senior Staff Reporter, Daily Graphic, Ghana @13h10 to speak to us about the newly-established Network on Forest Governance & Community Empowerment, and key outcomes of Civic Response Media Workshop on Forest Governance held 12-14 August, 2015

Ø  Mariam Chiazor Content Editor, Afro Tourism (www.afrotourism.com)  @13h30 to speak to us about her company, and impressions of the two-day “UN World Tourism Regional Conference on Enhancing Branding Africa: Fostering Tourism Development” underway at LaPalm Royal Beach Hotel

Ø  Prof.Boakye, Executive Director, Tourism Research Advocacy Centre(TRAC), Cape Coast University, Central Region, Ghana @13h50 to brief us about the state of Ghana’s tourism (potential), and what TRAC has been doing since establishment in 2014

Ø  Kofi Akpabli,  CNN-award-winning tourism journalist; author of 3 books on Tourism @14h20