• The 'Beyond the Return' initiative seeks to drive tourism into Ghana
• The country expects to witness an influx of tourists this year
Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mark Okraku Mantey, has stated that all patrons attending events during the upcoming Christmas season will be required to show proof of their Coronavirus vaccination.
According to an Adom Online report, the measure, the minister said, forms part of efforts to contain the spread of the pandemic during and after events, with persons above the age of five mandated to also wear face masks.
Speaking in an interview on Joy FM ShowBiz, Okraku Mantey explained, “We want to keep you, your siblings and your family alive because if we should come together at a particular place, especially indoor events, and we do not put some checks and balances in place, we’re likely to have challenges after December.
“When you want to go for any event, especially when we’ve launched ‘December in GH’ initiative, and as we’re targeting about 150,000 people entering the country between now and January 2022; we do not have to go and have fun and come back with COVID-19.”
The deputy minister added that the regular safety preventive protocols such as social distancing, washing of hands with soap may not be enough for patrons.
Mantey clarified that patrons seeking to attend any mass events in the country during the yuletide will be mandated to present their Coronavirus vaccination cards as proof before they are allowed entry into event venues.
Meanwhile, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Ghana’s tourism sector is reported to have lost over GH¢8 billion in terms of earnings over the past one and a half year.
The ‘December in GH’ calendar forms part of activities launched by the Ghana Tourism Authority to mark the ‘Beyond the Return’ initiative in a bid to drive tourism to Ghana during the festive seasons.
Mark Okraku Mantey, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture