The Africa Tourism Research Network (ATRN), in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO) has organised a three-day training workshop session for 40 informal sector workers in the tourism and hospitality industry in Tamale.
The workshop is under the Global Programme on Skills and Lifelong Learning/SKILL UP Ghana Project, an ILO initiative in collaboration with the Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training and funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation.
Beneficiaries of the workshop were drawn from the Traditional Caterers Association, Indigenous Caterers Association, Tour Guides Association of Ghana and Smock Weavers Association. The rest were from the Cultural Dance Association, Smock Sewers Association, and the Shea Butter Processing Association.
Addressing participants, the Regional Director of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Mr Angelo Dogbe, underscored the need for the participants to acknowledge and embrace the role digitization and social media now
play in their work.
He urged them to take advantage of the workshop to improve their work and benefit from the opportunities on social media platforms.
He assured the participants that his office would give them the needed support and pledged to help them to regularise their businesses.
Ms Vanessa Lareto Phala, the ILO Country Director for Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone and the Laison for ECOWAS noted that as part of its core mandate, the ILO was poised to collaborate with the Government of Ghana and key stakeholder institutions to support, train and build capacities of constituents in various sectors of the economy to create decent and sustainable jobs especially for the youth and women.
Mr Frank Kwasi Adetor, National Project Coordinator of ILO’s Global Programme on Skills and Lifelong Learning, said digital marketing and social media skills played a pivotal role in promoting and sustaining businesses, especially in the post-COVID-19 era.
‘I wish to admonish participants to take full advantag
e of the training by imparting the knowledge and skills acquired to others.
He said, ‘You can only succeed in transcending the borders of Ghana by conforming to and upholding international standards in your business operations.’
Mr Emmanuel Frimpong, Founding President of ATRN, emphasized the critical role digitization and credible data played in the tourism and hospitality sector.
He said, ‘Over 80 per cent of the players in this sector are informal yet they play a critical role in creating decent jobs for the youth and women, therefore it is important you are given the needed tools to take advantage of the benefits of social media marketing’.
He called on other development partners, the government, and organisations to partner with ATRN to train more informal sector workers in the tourism, hospitality and travel sectors in areas where they lack the needed skills.
He thanked the ILO for supporting the sector over the years, especially during the COVID-19 period.
The workshop was facilitated by Mr. Elor
m Billy-Awittor from the African Skills Hub (ASH) with support from the ILO’s Global Programme on Skills and Lifelong Learning/SKILL UP Ghana Component.
Source: Ghana News Agency