A groundswell of positive vibes for investment in Ghana from Europe was kicked up when the maiden edition of the Ghana-EU Tourism & Investment Summit (GHETIS24) came off in Paris, France from March 6 to March 8, 2024.

GHETIS24 was a useful arena for discussions and consultations as Ghana’s delegation of business leaders, creative arts players, government officials, tourism think tanks, and executives of the Tour Operators Union of Ghana (TOUGHA) engaged with potential investors and tried to woo them over to the country many people regard as the most peaceful in West Africa.

GHETIS24 happened at a remarkable time as March 6 was Ghana’s Independence Day and the Ghana Embassy in Paris partnered with GHETIS24 to host the Ghana @67 Independence Reception at Mairie du 16eme in Paris.

Different activities characterised GHETIS24. With the strong presence of tourism-related folks in the Ghana team, it wasn’t surprising that issues related to tourism regularly cropped up.   Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts & Culture, Mr. Mark Okraku Mantey was with the pack and he took every opportunity that came his way to touch on why the sector has so much promise for Ghana.

He said there were opportunities for private investment for the continuous development, repackaging, and marketing of tourism products and facilities in areas such as restaurants with specialties in traditional, oriental, and continental cuisines; theme parks; night clubs; casinos and aviation sports.

He was particularly happy about the positives the nation has derived from the Year of Return and Beyond the Return initiatives and what the contributions Africans in the Diaspora can make to the continent.

“That community has a lot of resources that we are not taking advantage of. By resources, I’m not just referring to money. They also have knowledge, experience, and know-how and if they all decide that they are coming back home, you can imagine what we are going to get as a continent,” the Deputy Minister stated.

Since its official launch at the Cape Coast Castle on February 25, 2023, GHETIS24 has drawn its participants from a wide field of activity including hospitality, manufacturing, finance, construction, real estate, fashion, transportation, arts, agro-business, and energy.

About 21 companies and other relevant outfits formed part of the GHETIS24 Trade Mission. They included TAG Transport and Logistics Ltd, Ghana Post, Allied Financial Services, RAM Media Consult, Office of the King of Osu, and  Integrated Food, Livestock and Petroleum Ltd.

 Others were Monterey 7Eleven, Spotless Travel & Tour, Reckon Metal, Lisadel Travel & Tour; Obokese Foundation, Kirk Consult, and Deroy International Education & Travel Ltd.

GHETIS24 was produced by Maxine Reindorf-Partey and Verus Nartey, the respective CEOs of Ghana Invest and Made In Ghana Consulting Ltd for the Destination Ghana Global Project (DGGP).

It was organized in partnership with the Ghana Embassy in France; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration; Ministry of Tourism, Arts & Culture; the Ministry of Trade & Industry; Obokese Foundation with support from the French Embassy in Ghana and sponsored by various partners.