The Secretariat responsible for Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme is set to partner the organisers of the 2026 Inter Tourism Expo as part of efforts to align the event with the government’s broader economic transformation agenda.
The development follows a meeting between the Presidential Adviser on the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme, Mr Augustine Tanoh, and the organising committee of the 6th Inter Tourism Expo.
The Expo organising committee, led by its Chairman, Mr Emmanuel Treku, and Chief Executive Officer, Ms Beauty Kabukie Apedoe, paid a courtesy call on Mr Tanoh to brief him on preparations for the event and explore areas of collaboration with the government.
The 2026 Inter Tourism Expo and Conference is scheduled to take place from October 21 to 23 at the Ridge Royal Hotel in Cape Coast in the Central Region.
Under the theme, “Positioning Ghana as a 24-Hour Investment Economy,” the Expo is expected to bring together more than 300 tourism stakeholders, investors, government institutions, business leaders, development partners and other participants to explore investment and economic development opportunities.
The event will focus on the intersection between tourism and key productive sectors of the economy, including agribusiness, digital sovereignty, industrialisation and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
During the engagement, Mr Tanoh welcomed the initiative and indicated that the 24-Hour Economy Secretariat was prepared to support the Expo on behalf of the Presidency.
He requested relevant information from the organisers to enable the Secretariat to determine and advise on its specific role in the organisation and implementation of the event.
The proposed collaboration is expected to strengthen coordination between the Expo organisers and relevant government institutions, with particular emphasis on ensuring that the event produces practical economic outcomes beyond discussions and presentations.
Areas identified for collaboration include job creation, investment attraction, tourism development, agribusiness, industrialisation, digital transformation and increased private-sector participation.
Mr Treku explained that the Expo was designed to showcase Ghana’s tourism potential and attract both local and international investment into the sector, with the ultimate objective of generating increased economic returns for the country.
He noted that tourism generates significant revenues for several countries and argued that Ghana had the potential to attract and retain greater financial returns from its tourism assets if the sector was strategically positioned as an integral part of the national productive economy.
According to him, the engagement with the 24-Hour Economy Secretariat was particularly important because the objectives and outcomes of the Expo needed to complement the government’s transformational policy programme.
He stressed that the input of the Secretariat would be important in ensuring that the Expo contributed meaningfully to the government’s economic development priorities.
The organisers are also engaging a number of key institutions within Ghana’s investment, trade and tourism ecosystem to support the success of the Expo.
These include the Ghana Investment Promotion Authority (GIPA), Ghana International Trade Commission (GITC), Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI), Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) and the Regional House of Chiefs.
The organisers said collaboration among these institutions would provide an opportunity to connect Ghana’s tourism industry to the broader productive economy and demonstrate its potential contribution to investment, employment, value-chain development and regional economic activity.
Follow-up meetings are expected to be held between the Secretariat and the Expo organising committee as preparations for the event continue.
The Inter Tourism Expo and Conference is an annual event aimed at showcasing Ghana’s historical and cultural heritage and attracting local and international tourists to experience and patronise the country’s tourism assets.
The organisers are seeking to position the event beyond tourism promotion by creating platforms for trade, investment and business development.
The 2026 edition will provide opportunities for discussions on agribusiness and trade, including connecting local agricultural enterprises and AfCFTA-driven trade opportunities with investors.
It will also explore capital investment opportunities in technology, physical infrastructure and emerging sectors of the economy.
A key component of the Expo will be business-to-business (B2B) engagements designed to facilitate direct interaction among international investors, entrepreneurs, policymakers and industry players.
The programme will feature presentations, an Investment Marketplace and deal-flow opportunities through which participating companies can establish business linkages, explore partnerships and identify potential investment opportunities.
The organisers believe that integrating tourism with investment, trade, agriculture, technology and industrial development will help position the sector as a stronger contributor to Ghana’s economic transformation and wealth creation.
By 1960news.com
