The Ghana Football Association (GFA) in collaboration with the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) and the Professional Footballers Association of Ghana (PFAG) launch the visit Ghana BringBackTheLove football tour today at the Tourism Centre, Accra.
The initiative themed “Battle of the Stars Events” is a series of matches geared towards promoting the Beyond the Return Initiative and the repositioning of Ghanaian football in the mind of the fans, through a series of matches played by Ghanaian football legends on 31st October, 2020 at the Cape Coast stadium; subsequent match locations will be Tamale, Kumasi and Accra.
Deputy Executive Director of Ghana Tourism Authority, Ekow Sampson says GTA is excited to partner the GFA and the PFAG for this great initiative “Football is pursued by an increasing number of people in the world and in Ghana, it’s a big industry beside being an important mass sport.”
“Football vitalizes the tourism sector and increase patronage of hotels, restaurants, transportation, night clubs, visit to tourist attraction sites and all the tourism value chain which invariably generates employment, increase government revenue and distribute income,”-he continued.
Speaking on behalf of the PFAG, Deputy General Secretary Solomon Torson reveals his outfit is delighted as the three bodies are teaming up to bring back the love which fits into the #BeyondTheReturn agenda of the Ghana Tourism Authority.
“We at the PFAG are happy that this partnership is officially being unveiled. We are committed to the #BringBackTheLove agenda of the GFA and want to help in bringing the love of football following the return of football.We are ready to make our members available for the promotion of tourism and the development of football.”-he stated.
President of the Ghana Football Association Kurt E. S. Okraku also expressed his excitement “I am very happy that we are starting the joinery to bringing back the love. We are starting the journey to promote domestic football, we are starting the journey to promote domestic tourism .This is the beginning of that journey. It is the beginning of the relationship we all been waiting for .A relationship between two entities with the same vision. Football promotes tourism and GTA promotes tourism.”-he stated.
“This event kick start our chain of activities that will lead us into the 2020/2021 football season. On behalf of the GFA, we are pleased to be part of this initiative which seeks to promote football and tourism for a greater and a good course.”-he added.
This is an initiative of the Ghana Tourism Authority, aiming at promoting domestic tourism and branding Ghana, through football in the country and abroad. This programme falls in line with the GTA broader ‘Beyond the Return’ initiative which succeeded the Year of Return programme, launched in 2019.
BY: AYISHATU ZAKARIA ALI