Turn tourist sites into Free Zones – Tourism Expo CEO

By Daniel NONOR, ACCRA

GHANA’S tourism sector could see a significant boost if tourist sites are designated as free zones, Mr. Emmanuel Treku, Chief Executive Officer and Convener of the Inter Tourism Expo has suggested.

In an interview, on the Zed Multimedia morning show, Mr. Treku, who has extensive experience in the tourism industry, proposed the idea as a key strategy to attract more investment and global attention to the country’s tourism offerings.

Mr Treku is thus advocating the creation of free zones around tourist sites. By transforming key tourism destinations into free zones, he is of a firm believe that the country can stimulate long-term investment while improving infrastructure and services.

 “Imagine if we form a partnership where someone paves the roads to a tourist site, collects fees, and helps promote the destination. This type of public-private partnership (PPP) would ensure sustainable tourism growth,” he said.

Mr Treku envisions these zones as collaborative ventures between the private sector, local assemblies, and the government. “In these free zone enclaves, businesses could develop recreational grounds and manage them alongside local authorities.

“The government, in turn, could collect taxes and reinvest in tourism infrastructure,” he suggested, pointing to successful examples in other countries like Japan, where tourism partnerships have led to immense growth.

Reflecting on his extensive career, Mr Treku shared his vision of promoting Ghana as a top destination, revealing how his experience in travel agency services sparked innovative strategies for the sector.

“About six years ago, after returning from a trip to India, I started thinking about why Ghana isn’t as connected in terms of travel compared to other African destinations like Addis Ababa. This led to the idea of creating a tourism expo to position Ghana as a key player in tourism trade shows,” he explained.

The Inter Tourism Expo, which began after years of research and refinement, was born from his desire to showcase Ghana’s tourism potential. He identified the lack of a major platform where the country’s tourism sector could shine, particularly for private players who needed to step up their efforts.

“We have about 30 tourism trade associations, but they lacked a platform. The Ghana Tourism Authority is doing its part, but the private sector also needed to step up, which is why we created the expo,” he  added.

Mr Treku emphasized that collaboration remains at the heart of tourism growth. From his perspective, no single entity can achieve success in isolation.

“Collaboration is crucial. This project cannot be done by one person alone,” he said, citing the strong partnerships with institutions like Zed Multimedia and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which are playing a pivotal role in shaping the Expo’s sustainability agenda.

He emphasised that partnerships have been central to tourism development in Ghana since 2007, with the Ministry of Tourism leading various initiatives.

“Tourism touches many industries, logistics, transport, and hospitality, so we need PPPs to drive sustainable growth. This year’s theme, ‘Sustainable Public-Private Partnerships and Equitable Tourism Investment, reflects that,” he noted.

Mr Treku is optimistic that the Inter Tourism Expo would become one of Africa’s leading tourism trade shows, attracting businesses and visitors from all over the world. He also emphasized the need for the tourism sector to focus on education, infrastructure, and youth engagement.

“Tourism is a lifestyle and experience-based industry, which means its potential for growth is endless.Ghana has an unmatched tourism offering, and with the right investments and partnerships, it can become a major contributor to our GDP.”

The 2024 edition of the Inter Tourism Expo is set to feature over 200 exhibitors from various sectors, including banks, food chains, and startups, showcasing the interconnected nature of tourism. “We’re intentionally building this platform year after year. The more we collaborate and innovate, the more we can showcase the best of what Ghana has to offer,” Treku concluded.