vol. XVI no. 2

				Tourism Development Goal of Robinson/USAID Initiative in Ghana About 90 miles from Accra, the capital city of Ghana, lies one of the world's most unique tourist attractions. High above the rain forest in Kakum National Park span seven rope walks that give visitors a panoramic view of rich, lush greenery and perhaps even a glimpse of an elephant, monkey or Red River hog. There are only three other such "rope walks" on the planet. While the Kakum rainforest and many other sites in Ghana are unique and a delight to visit, not enough people do - at least not yet. Ghana, a country of 18 million people, is located on Africa's west coast along the Atlantic Ocean. Despite past periods of uncertainty and upheaval, over the last decade and a half the country has enjoyed a period of relative stability marked by stronger democratic principles and a free-market economy. This fact, when combined with its rich history, natural assets and friendly and industrious people, makes Ghana a high-potential destination for tourists from all over the world. Presently, some 450,000 tourists visit the country each year. The tourism sector generates nearly $400 million annually and ranks third in foreign exchange earnings behind gold and cocoa. However, Ghanaian officials and tourism development authorities believe that these numbers only scratch the surface of the country's extraordinary tourism potential. Ghana has a problem attracting tourists even though it seems like an obvious place to visit. Through the development of its 10-year Tourism Master Plan, and with the support of international funding partners such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Ghana embarked upon an ambitious program to significantly improve the performance of the tourism sector and its contribution to the country's economic growth. When Georgia State University's Robinson College of Business was selected through USAID's tough competitive process to deliver its program of support for capacity building and to help develop and market Ghana's tourism assets, the Tourism Capacity Development Initiative (TCDI) was born. USAID director Sharon Cromer explained, "The goal of the TCDI is to facilitate the building of a public/private partnership that contributes to tourism-led economic growth as part of Ghana's ongoing poverty alleviation and wealth creation efforts." Robinson is implementing the TCDI in partnership with GSU's Office of International Affairs. From the initial assessment visit led by the office's Earl Picard, who also directs the project from Atlanta, it was felt that the Robinson College had both the capability and interest to successfully deliver the desired assistance. H. Fenwick Huss, Robinson's associate dean and architect of much of the College's international involvement, called the project "a natural extension of our efforts to work with transitional economies." Huss cited programs in the former Soviet Union and China as examples of how Robinson has carved a niche in helping developing economies learn the principles of competing effectively in today's global business marketplace. He also noted that Robinson is active in Africa with the creation of the Ronald H. Brown Institute for Sub-Saharan Africa that has been delivering entrepreneurship and business skills development programs since 2001 (see related story.) While the Robinson College welcomes this opportunity to assist, officials in Ghana are equally enthusiastic. Minister of Tourism J.O. Obetsebi-Lamptey said, "We were delighted about the project, and our delight was greatly increased by the people who are involved." Obetsebi-Lamptey was referring to TCDI senior advisors Huss and John Hicks, associate provost for international affairs; Picard; Warren Weinstein, chief of party (on-site project manager) for the TCDI; Debby Cannon, director of Robinson's Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality; and Robinson faculty and other members of the team representing the College in this major endeavor. While the opportunities are great, the challenges are of equal proportion. Said Huss: "It's not like we're starting from the ground up. It's more difficult than that. We first must gain an understanding of how things are currently done, determine if and how they can be improved and then rebuild." The Hospitality School is already busy implementing many project activities that will build capacity. Training heads the list, and Cannon and her associates will undertake programs that include training everyone from tour operators to skycaps and bellmen to hotel managers. In mid-August, the Hospitality School welcomed four Ghanaian fellows from the University of Cape Coast, who will spend 12 months becoming certified tourism sector trainers. Robinson professors, including Sevgin Eroglu, Ken Bernhardt, Marta White, Bijan Fazlollahi and others, periodically go to Ghana to teach courses in their areas of specialization. Top | Next Page

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