The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Development Company (GTDC), Professor Kobby Mensah, has explained the key differences between the Ghana Tourism Development Company and the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA).
Speaking in an interview with host Kwame Dadzie on Daybreak Hitz on Hitz FM, Prof. Mensah described the Tourism Authority as the “mother agency” responsible for regulation, compliance and promotion of tourism in Ghana.
“I call the Authority the mother agency. Obviously, it was a board that later transformed into the Authority. In fact, before the Ministry, there was the board, the Ghana Tourism Board which later became the Authority. So the Authority is the compliance agency,” he explained.
According to him, the Authority is responsible for certification, compliance, regulatory frameworks and the broader task of promoting Ghana as a tourism destination.
“They are responsible for certification, compliance and regulatory frameworks, and they are also responsible for the bigger picture of attracting people to the country. The Authority has the responsibility to go out there and market Ghana,” he said.
“They also ensure that operators comply with regulations in terms of quality standards and their responsibilities to the state.”
Prof. Mensah explained that unlike the Authority, the GTDC focuses primarily on the commercial and investment aspects of tourism.
“GTDC, which is my office, is responsible for commercialisation. We are the commercial arm of the Ministry. We are supposed to go into the market with tourism products and services and sell them for returns,” he said.
He added that the company also plays a role in attracting investment into the tourism sector.
“We are responsible for investment and attracting investors into the tourism space. That side of the agency has somewhat reduced over time because of changing circumstances,” he noted.
Prof. Mensah explained that when GTDC was established in 1972, it played a stronger investment role, but the emergence of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) has shifted much of the country’s broader investment promotion efforts.
“The agency was set up in 1972. Since then, you have had the GIPC, which has become the main investment driver in the country. That has somehow reduced the prominence of GTDC,” he said.
“GTDC is much more focused on tourism, whereas GIPC is much broader, covering hospitality, tourism, construction and manufacturing. So naturally, more people refer to GIPC than GTDC.”
Despite this, he said GTDC is working to reposition itself by focusing on innovation and setting new trends in the tourism industry.
“It has been a forgotten child for so long, but it is an investment arm. I tell my team that because of the peculiarity of the times, we probably have to reframe what we say our mandate is,” he stated.
“For me, I see GTDC’s development and investment role as being a trendsetter. We set the trend by identifying new opportunities in tourism and hospitality that we can demonstrate to the private sector so they can come on board.”
He noted that private sector investors are often guided by profitability, while state agencies must sometimes take the lead in exploring new opportunities.
“If you look at the character and behaviour of the private sector, they don’t just invest anyhow; they invest based on profitability. As a state agency, profitability should not be the only hallmark. It should be part of your existence, but more importantly you should direct the traffic and show the path,” he said.
“It may not be profitable today, but it can serve as a pathfinder for others to follow.”
Prof. Mensah added that although GTDC’s investment strength may have reduced somewhat, the company remains focused on identifying tourism opportunities that could benefit the country in the future.
“In as much as we are responsible for investment, and our strength has reduced a little, we are careful in identifying spaces that can benefit the country in the future. That is what we are doing,” he added.
Writer: Frederick Nortey
