Ghanaian royalty, music, souvenirs and snacks were on offer for sampling as ‘Ghana Day’ was marked at the ongoing World Tourism Fair in the UK. For four hours Exhibition Hall A 290 came to a near halt as hundreds of exhibitors from other stands and visitors converged round Ghana’s zone.

The country’s cute but effective stand was draped in lively and colourful images of kente, Cape Coast Castle, a traditional chief in palanquin, Kakum Park and the Black Stars team in the heat of football action. A TV plasma screen also beamed sights and sounds of Ghana.

Just as all thought Ghana had out-shone its neighbours, arrived international football star Asamoah Gyan. ‘It’s good you have come to identify with your country, Asamoah’ was told by Hon. Akua Sena Dansua, Minister of Tourism who received the football star to the stands.

As if on cue, the DJ slotted in Castro and Asamoah Gyan’s  hiplife ‘Ghana Girls’ sending an excited crowd into a dance ecstasy. Dressed in a blue long sleeved shirt over jeans, Gyan was clearly overwhelmed by a crowd that is not cheering him to score a goal  but promote his country’s tourism. ‘It feels nice to be here’, the soccer star said. ‘Ghana is a beauty country and we should all be proud’. Asamoah plays as a striker for Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates, on loan from Sunderland.

Other dignitaries who participated in the fair were Prof Danso-Boafo, High Commissioner to the UK, Hon. Alhaji Amadu Sorogho, Chairman, Parliamentary select Committee on Tourism, Alhaji Issifu Pangabu Mohammed, Hon. Kofi Osei, Hon Gifty Klenam and Mrs. Emelia Brew-Butler Executive Director Ghana Tourism Development Company. Ms Ghana Tourism Priscilla Asare and Ghanaian  traditional chiefs and a Queenmother also added colour to the event.

‘Ghana Day’ is a PR and social activity targeted at increasing interaction between the country’s exhibitors and clients at the travel fair. It is designed as an open house to communicate places, events and activities that depict Ghana as a tourist destination. Among the crowd were tour operators, hoteliers media personnel and suppliers in the tourism business from different parts of the world. Also in attendance were individuals who had come to learn more about the country they hope to visit one day.

While some visitors were busily grabbing chinchinga and kelewele to eat others danced to hiplife, kete, kpanlogo and borborbor music that cracked through the British autumn air.

Earlier in an interview with National Geographic Hon. Akua Sena Dansua said that Ghana  is growing at a very fast pace thereby creating better opportunity for tourism investment. In another interview with Pedigree Media, the Minister of Tourism listed the country’s strong points to include a vibrant culture, diverse ecotourism resources and a generally safe friendly environment. ‘The discovery of oil, growth in investment and the recent opening of Movenpick Hotel are all positive indicators for the business travel segment’’ she added.

The World Travel Market is the leading travel fair on the globe. Overall, total attendance on the first day at WTM 2011 was 8 percent up on WTM 2010 with almost 23,000 (22,913) participants, with exhibitors 4 percent higher than last year’s.

Ghana was represented at the four day-fair by both  public and private sector exhibitors including Ghana Tourism Authority, Ghana Tourism Development Company and Ghana Airports Company Limited. The rest were Sunseekers Tours, Scorpion Travel and Tours, Land Tours, Seasons Tours and GIFEC.

KOFI AKPABLI, (London)