The Forestry Commission (FC) has met with a delegation of students and faculty of Georgetown University, Washington, USA, on a proposed project that involves the use of a low-cost digital marketing strategy to position Ghana as an ecotourism destination in the US market. The Project also involves exploring Fintech solutions for Ghana’s national parks to promote sound financial management and increase revenue.
The FC Deputy Chief Executive, Mr. Nyadia Sulemana Nelson, welcomed the delegation of students and faculty on behalf of the Chief Executive, Mr. John Allotey. He emphasized that for the past ten (10) years, there have been appreciable innovations across the country’s ecotourism mix, nevertheless, more innovative solutions are welcome to help promote the country’s ecotourism to increase numbers and shore up revenues.
He thus urged them to introduce necessary and required financial services and systems that can promote all the National Parks and “see what you can add to our products and services to make them fly.” The Deputy CE further emphasized to the Georgetown team that aside from all things, investment is key to the promotion of Ghana’s National Parks.
The team of 11 Executive Masters in Business Administration (EMBA) students, together with one faculty member, Professor Mario Ramirez, are in the country working on an EMBA Global Capstone Project. This is aimed at strengthening biodiversity conservation activities in Protected Areas (PAs) and promote sustained economic development in Ghana.
Under the EMBA programme, students collaborate in teams to investigate and articulate practical global strategies through analysis of global industries in competitive and institutional environments.
Giving the purpose of the gathering, the Director of Stakeholder and Ecotourism, Wildlife Division (WD), Dr. Richard Gyimah, explained that the delegation was in Ghana to visit some of the National Parks to acquaint themselves with what is available and find innovative solutions that can promote the country’s National Parks and ecotourism in general.
He disclosed that the team will be visiting the Shai Hill Resource Reserve to gain a deeper understanding of the tourism user fee payment system implemented by the Commission, and proffer enhanced solutions where necessary.
The Commission, therefore, looks forward to a long-term relationship that would be beneficial to both parties, Dr. Gyimah concluded.
Prof. Mario Ramirez on his part thanked the Commission for hosting them and said the Project also gives them the avenue and opportunity to learn from the Ghanaian people, identify the challenges, problems, and opportunities available in the ecotourism space, and see how they can help.
The meeting had some senior management staff in attendance such as WD Director of Operations, Mr. Farouk Dubiure; WD Manager of Finance, Mrs. Alberta Gotah; Corporate Affairs and Media Relations Manager, Mrs. Joyce Ofori- Kwafo as well as other Managers in the Commission.
