In its bid to boost tourism in the country, the Ministry of Tourism and Diasporan Relations, on Thursday launched a catalogue of aerial photographs and Ortho-photos of the nation's entire coastline. Ortho-photos are geographical maps, which can be used in all issues relating to land development. The project, which started three years ago, was executed by CTK Network Aviation Limited, a geometric and aviation consultancy firm. Launching the project, Mrs Oboshie Sai-Coffie, sector minister, expressed her appreciation to former Minister Jake Obestebi Lamptey for taking the initiative adding that, the project would be beneficial to all the ministries, department and agencies. "This product we are launching today will be very beneficial to the navy, fishery agencies, local and district assemblies and many other departments and individuals," she added. She noted that the Ortho-photos had already been used in the preparation of investment profiles and schemes to attract private investors to develop tourism facilities along the nation's coastlines. The minister pointed out that the map would be beneficial in the work of the proposed Coastal Management Authority, which would monitor, inspect and keep sanity at the nation's coastlines. Enumerating the importance of the project, Mr Kingsley Nana Osei, Data Manager of CTK Network Aviation Limited, said it would be beneficial in landscape architecture, flood analysis and management, soil erosion assessment and environmental impact assessment, among others. He noted that the Ortho-photos were now available in both softcopy and hardcopy at the head office of the Survey Department. The map was also able to identify some water bodies, which could be developed into tourist sites. Source: GNA