The government has launched a language training program to instruct approximately 2,000 hospitality workers in French.
This initiative is part of the Ghana Cares Economic Transformation program, which aims to enhance the overall tourism experience for international visitors and position Ghana as a welcoming destination in the sub-region.
The goal is to facilitate effective communication and provide exceptional, personalized services to Francophone visitors, demonstrating Ghana’s commitment to promoting an inclusive and culturally sensitive tourism industry.
According to Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Awal, the Minister for Tourism, Arts, and Culture, a significant number of tourists visiting Ghana come from French-speaking countries.
Therefore, this language training program is strategically designed to equip frontline personnel in the tourism sector with bilingual proficiency. This will enable them to engage effectively and cater to the specific needs of visitors from French-speaking nations.
Dr. Awal emphasized the importance of expanding Ghana’s tourism outreach to Francophone countries, such as Cote d’Ivoire, Togo, Burkina Faso, Niger, Benin, and others in West Africa. By providing bilingual training in English and French to staff, including drivers, front desk attendants, and tour guides, Ghana aims to attract more tourists and encourage repeat visits, ultimately benefiting the economy.
The training program is being implemented in phases, with the first phase involving 100 staff members from upscale hotels in Accra.
This serves as a pilot program to ensure comprehensive training and assessment before expanding it to a larger scale. The government’s long-term vision is to provide training to a total of 2,000 hospitality staff members, further enhancing the quality of service and tourist experiences in Ghana.
