Culture Fest is a celebration of the diversity of cultures in Ghana and Africa overall. The festival officially launched on July 11, 2023 at Pleasant Gardens in Dzorwulu. The festivities will run through August 20th and is made possible through the collaboration of The Organisation for African Development (OAD), UNESCO, the National Commission on Culture (NCC), and the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA).

The launch was attended by esteemed dignitaries including members of the diplomatic corps, Vice President of ECOWAS Tourism, Ambassador Nancy Sam, South African High Commissioner to Ghana, H.E. Grace Jeanet Mason, the Director of the Beyond the Return Secretariat, Annabelle McKenzie, and traditional leaders in the community. The opening event included performances, spoken work poetry and an exhibition featuring local arts and crafts. Culture Fest has an exciting lineup of events over the next few weeks. One of the highlights is the Female DJ competition, where talented women from across Ghana and beyond will showcase their skills and bring the crowd to life with their rhythms. This event not only celebrates the art of DJing but also promotes gender equality and empowers women in the music industry.

Another exciting feature of Culture Fest is the pre-launch of Food Goals. This initiative aims to promote healthy eating habits and showcase the diverse culinary traditions of Africa. As part of the festival, you’ll have the opportunity to explore different food gardens initiatives, which highlight sustainable agricultural practices and the importance of locally sourced ingredients.

Culture Fest is also the perfect platform to discover hidden talents. From traditional dance performances to contemporary art exhibitions, you’ll be amazed by the creativity and skill of artists and performers. The festival will culminate in the crowning of the Culture Queen, an esteemed title that recognizes an individual who embodies the spirit of African culture and heritage.

For food enthusiasts, Culture Fest offers the chance to savor the flavors of the Best African Food competitions. Prepare your taste buds for a culinary journey through the diverse cuisines of the continent. From mouthwatering stews to aromatic spices, you’ll experience the richness and variety of African gastronomy.

In addition to these captivating events, Culture Fest provides an all-you-can-eat buffet that will leave you craving for more. Indulge in the delectable dishes prepared by talented chefs, and immerse yourself in the culinary delights of Africa.

Culture Fest will continue through August 20th. It’s an opportunity to go beyond the surface and truly experience the beauty and diversity of Ghanaian and African culture. Whether you’re a local resident or a tourist, this festival promises to be a memorable journey into the heart and soul of the continent. Mark your calendars, gather your friends and family, and join us at Culture Fest. Let us celebrate diversity, honor our heritage, and create lasting memories.

Story by: Ivy Prosper

“We believe this backs the strengthening of a long-standing partnership between Angola and Ghana,” said Ransom Brown, Business Develpment Manager, APG Ghana & South-West Africa. The goal of receiving more travellers will be met with this new initiative that will encourage travel and business between Ghana and Angola. 

“This is quite historic,” said Diane Chung, Regional Manager, TAAG Angola Airlines Africa. “Ghana represents the very first new route that TAAG has devoted to in Africa for several years.”  She noted they did fly to Ghana a long time ago, but this is a new historic time as this regular route has been added to TAAG Angola’s flight schedule. The airline flies to several cities in Europe, opening up the opportunity to fly from Africa with them as well as domestically on the continent. “We wanted to fly to Accra because of the potential that we see here,” she said. 

H.E. Mavis Esi Kusorgbor, Ghana’s Ambassador to Angola said that it was most gratifying for her to witness this historic day. “The commencement of the direct flight to Ghana constitutes a significant milestone in our bilateral relations,” said H.E. Kusorgbor.  She commended the success of the inaugural flight to Ghana and noted that despite long relations with Angola, there is still much work to do in building the bonds between our countries.  Which makes this newly launched flight much more important in helping build trade, investments, economic promotions and tourism. 

Ghana’s Beyond the Return initiative is committed to connecting with the global African diaspora community and with continental Africans.  The direct flight bridges the gap between Ghana and Angola and opens the doors to building connections with the people of Angola.  

“You could not have chosen a better time than this,” Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), Captain Budu Koomson said. “This vision of Ghana Airports Company Limited, is to see Ghana as the preferred destination hub and leader in airport business in West Africa. The entry of TAAP Angola Airlines will provide travellers with a nonstop service between Luanda and Accra, thereby reducing the long travel times experienced by travellers.” He said this new route opens up options for travel in the sub-region and into international destinations. 

Stakeholders in attendance included Trade Attache, Embassy of Angola in Ghana, Rui Livramento, Ghana Civil Aviation Authority’s Deputy Director, Juliet Okae, President of the Tour Operators Union of Ghana, Alisa Osei Asamoah, Director of Project Development, Ghana Tourism Authority, Ben Anane-Nsiah, Director of the Beyond the Return Secretariat, Annabelle McKenzie and tour operators and hospitality stakeholders. 

The airline will operate flights three times a week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.  TAPP Airlines is based in Luanda and currently operates domestic services in Angola.  They also offer flights within Africa, Brazil, Cuba and Portugal.   

The inaugural New York International Travel Show officially opened its doors yesterday, Friday October 28th at the Jacob Javits Center in Manhattan. The event runs the 28th-30th October and the theme this year is “The Future of Travel”. After over two and a half years of the travel industry being disrupted because of the global pandemic, industry players are ready for what’s in store for the future.

Ghana Tourism Authority under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, and Culture has a booth at the event showcasing all that Ghana has to offer and promoting the ‘Destination Ghana’ campaign launched by the ministry earlier this year. Ghana continues to be a destination of choice for travel in West Africa and it’s expected that numbers continue to grow for international arrivals for the last two months of the year. This, as National Geographic just named Ghana as one of the best places for travel in 2023.

“It has been a successful day so far at the travel show,” said Annabelle McKenzie, Director of the Beyond the Return Secretariat. “We’ve engaged with several people who were intrigued by what our country has to offer. Some were surprised to learn that Ghana has beaches and opportunities to experience paragliding, hiking mountains and exploring nature. Some said they only knew about the country’s historical ties to the trans-Atlantic slave trade.” Ghana’s culture is also a big attraction with special interest in visits to the Ashanti Kingdom and experiencing traditional dance and music across the country. A cultural troupe performed at the travel show, giving attendees a glimpse into Ghana’s culture.

The last day for the travel show is tomorrow and the team expects plenty of visitors to their booth at the event.

By: Ivy Prosper

The Wangara community once again celebrated the Kurubi Festival in Kintampo, Bono East Region this past week.  The events opened on 22nd November and came to a close with a grand durbar on Saturday 27th November.  The program was well attended and this year’s theme for the festival was ‘Promoting Domestic Tourism and Fostering National Cohesion Through Festival’.  

The vision of promoting domestic tourism aligned with the domestic tourism campaign that was launched earlier this year.  Digniataries in attendance included; Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mark Okraku-Mantey, Presidential Coordinator for Zongo and Inner City Development, Hon. Ben Abdallah, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon Samuel Abu Jinapor ,  Former Minister for Energy/MP for Yapei-Kosorgu, Hon. John Abu John Abu Jinapor, Savanna Regional Minister Hon. Saeed Muhazu Jibril, CEO Ghana Tourism Authority, Akwasi Agyeman, DCE for Kintampo South, Hon Opoku Nyame, Regional Director, Ghana Tourism Authority, Joseph Appiah-Agyei, Municipal Coordinating Director, Kintampo, Thaddeus Zaasan, M.P. Kintampo North, Hon Joseph Kwame Kumah, NPP Consituency Chairman, Mr. Abulakari Saddique, NDC Constituency Chairman Mohammed Alhassan and Kintampo Divisional Commander, ACP Francis Enor.

The Kurubi Festival is rooted in the culture and religious traditions of the Wangara people.  It was celebrated in Kintampo, which is known as being the centre of Ghana for trade between the northern and southern parts of the country. They use the festival as a way to give thanks to God and to also remember their ancestors who migrated there.

The Borough of Brooklyn has named a street in Bedford-Stuyvesant (Bed-Stuy) after Ghana, highlighting the country’s leading role in building bridges amongst the global African Family. Bed-Stuy, has been a centre of African-American culture since the early 20th century and has been home to several cultural icons.

Making the announcement and the presentation at a “Destination Ghana” event at Weeksville Heritage Center, Councilman Robert E. Cornegy, Jr., on behalf of the people of Bed-Stuy and the Borough of Brooklyn, commended Ghana for the Year of Return initiative and the follow up Beyond the Return project.

The Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture , Hon. Dr Ibrahim Awal and the CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Akwasi Agyeman have been staking Ghana’s claim and engaging several business and opinion leaders in the city of New York to promote the destination .

The street to be named Bed-Stuy/Ghana Way, cements the strategic partnership between Ghana and Brooklyn. Dr. Awal in thanking the Council member, threw an invitation to the audience made up of politicians, business leaders, clergy and students to build on the goodwill for mutual growth. The CEO, Akwasi Agyeman presented programs lined up this December in Ghana and a proposed Independence trade mission in March 2022.

Eighty five year old Dr. Leonard Jeffries Jr, a well known Pan- Africanist who was in the audience was elated for seeing this day in his lifetime that Ghana will forever be part of the rich history of Bed-Stuy and Brooklyn.

Ghana celebrated World Tourism Day 2021, surrounded by the mountains of the Volta Region just outside Hohoe nestled in the valley a few kilometres from the Wli Waterfalls. People travelled from across the country to experience the Volta Region while commemorating this important international celebration of the tourism sector. The United Nations (UN) designated September 27 as the day to celebrate the tourism industry every year. It’s an industry that employs one in ten people globally and the pandemic has had an impact making it one of the hardest hit industries in the world. Because marginalized communities have suffered the worst effects, the UN decided that this year’s theme would be ‘Tourism for Inclusive Growth.’ The UN hopes to support growth and recovery in the sector that will be inclusive of all communities around the world.

Each year a United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) chooses a country to officially celebrate the day while others around the world join in the festivities in their respective countries. This year the official day was held in Côte d’Ivoire, West Africa. The Minister of Tourism, Arts, and Culture, Ibrahim Mohammed Awal and the CEO of Ghana Tourism Authority, Akwasi Agyeman, were not in attendance at the festivities in Ghana because they were representing at the main event in Côte d’Ivoire.

In Ghana, it was decided to hold the event in the Volta Region, one of the areas that do not receive the same international spotlight as some other regions in Ghana. “The purpose of the celebration this year is to raise awareness of the role of tourism in the international community and to showcase our tourism potentials,” said Minister of Railways Development and MP for Hohoe Constituency, John-Peter Amewu. “Tourism plays a very vital role in the GDP of every country,” he continued. “For countries to develop from one point to another its important that attention be given to tourism.”  He thanked Ghana Tourism Authority for its contributions to uplifting tourist facilities in the area and implored for continued support.

Brand Ambassadors for the upcoming Volta Fair, Dzifa Bampoe who is Head of News at TV3 and Ivy Prosper, Media Professional and Social Media Manager for Ghana Tourism Authority’s Year of Return/Beyond the Return Campaigns, each delivered short messages to the community about their involvement in promoting tourism and investment to the Volta Region. Missing from the event were the other Volta Fair ambassadors, Kafui Day, Broadcast Journalist, Author and Co-Host on GTV Breakfast, Bernard Avle, Broadcast Journalist with Citi FM/CitiTV, and Emefa Apawu, Broadcast Journalist with Multimedia Group. Due to other commitments, they were unable to attend the event, but have participated in the other activities to promote the Volta Region.

The weather was perfect with the sunshine revealing the beauty of the lush green mountains that surrounded the grounds for the festivities. Members of the community came out in big numbers with culture on full display with music, dancing, drumming and the diversity of traditional leaders who have a keen interest in the development of their communities to uplift the region. Activities were almost faltered when thick clouds rolled through with rain that forced attendees to run for cover. It didn’t stop the event as the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mark Okraku-Mantey stood under an umbrella at the podium to deliver his keynote address. “Tourism for inclusive growth means creating descent employment through inclusive economic growth a skilled and vibrant workforce to support an inclusive growth path and statistics that acknowledge that behind every number there is a person,” He said. “It also means unlocking the potential of the tourism ecosystem the value chain and investment facilitation for more inclusive and sustainable growth in traditions and marginalized communities with huge tourism and other resources.” 

Deputy CEO of Ghana Tourism Authority, Ekow Sampson, spoke on behalf of CEO of GTA, Akwasi Agyeman, who could not be there for the festivities saying, “Domestic tourism presents an opportunity for us to sustain tourism growth.”  He explained that the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, together with Ghana Tourism Authority and the private sector collaborated to initiate the domestic tourism campaign ‘Experience Ghana Share Ghana’ to encourage the local community to patronize travel within the country and region of West Africa. Overall, the day was a success, and the community was happy that international attention has come to uplift the place they call home with the hope it leads to economic growth and better opportunities.

By: Ivy Prosper

It’s official, the Double Decker City Tour Coach will be operating for the general public starting this week. The tours are a collaboration of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) and the Tour Operators Union of Ghana (TOUGHA) to create tours of the city of Accra using the double decker bus to experience Accra in a new way. The tours are another initiative to promote regional and domestic tourism similar to the ongoing See Ghana, Eat Ghana, Wear Ghana, Feel Ghana, Stay Home Discover Ghana, and Snap and Win Campaigns that are promoting tourism through culture and creative arts.

The Accra City Tour will showcase Accra to Ghanaians and international travellers through historical and cultural sites and iconic buildings an places. The tours will subsequently be extended to other Regional capitals across the country over the course of time.

The bus will depart daily from the Accra Tourist Information Centre with two available time slots; 9am-11am and 1pm-3pm. Fees to board the tours will be GH¢ 60.00 for adults, GH¢ 30.00 for SHS/Tertiary students, and GH¢ 20.00 for Basic students. For those interested in hiring the entire bus for two hours to use on the approved routes, the fee is GH¢ 3000.00 and should be done by contacting GTA.

For more information on bookings please contact the following numbers: +233 307 007 100, +233 596 617 976, or +233 243 146 864.

By: Ivy Prosper