LET US CELEBRATE WORLD TOURISM DAY AT THE MOLE NATIONAL PARK!

The Mole National Park and the other eco-tourism destinations in the north are vital for Ghana’s eco-tourism industry. The drop in tourist numbers in nations such as Kenya and Zimbabwe, as a result of the bad press they got when they experienced bouts of political violence not too long ago, opens up an opportunity to market the Mole National Park’s wildlife internationally – particularly its spectacular herd of elephants. At a time of global climate change, anything that helps preserve our nation’s biodiversity ought to be encouraged – especially if it also creates wealth in rural communities: as community-based eco-tourism does.

Those in charge of the development plan to rejuvenate the economy of the northern savannah belt ought to work with organizations such as the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission, A Rocha Ghana, the Dutch development organisation SNV, the Nature Conservation Research Centre (NCRC), and Ghana’s leading green tour operator, M&J Travel and Tours, to develop the huge eco-tourism potential of the three northern regions, as well as the northern parts of the Brong Ahafo and the Volta regions. They should also contact the brilliant young architect Mr. Kojo Derban (at East Legon) who has designed the most spectacular ethnographic museum for Tamale – and use his traditional-style architectural design to build a museum in Tamale.

We have lost countless opportunities of marketing the three northern regions internationally in the past – because we have never really thought of sending visiting dignitaries on safari in the Mole National Park. It is most unfortunate that because of Kokofu-football politics, when we got the opportunity to showcase our best eco-tourism destinations at the time Ghana was chosen to host the World Tourism Day celebrations, we did not seize that opportunity to show the world some of Ghana’s spectacular wildlife in the north. However, it is not too late to make amends – and elect to celebrate this year’s World Tourism Day in the Mole National Park: instead of holding yet another durbar of Chiefs in Kumasi to celebrate the occasion.

The overwhelming numbers of tourists from the wealthy nations of the world who travel to Africa prefer to see Africa’s wildlife above all – and are happy to travel thousands of miles from their home countries to our continent for that rare privilege. Let us start to take advantage of the good press our country gets for its stability and peaceful political atmosphere – and let the world know that we also have lions, leopards, hippos, cheetahs, crocodiles, elephants, birds galore, butterflies and some spectacular rain forests such as that of Akim Abuakwa Juaso, which are part of the Atiwa Range rain forest. One hopes that those politicians in charge of the tourism ministry will do all they can to change the venue for the World Tourism Day from Kumasi to the Mole National Park – and seize a golden opportunity to put that part of our country on the world eco-tourism map. A word to the wise…