Culture

Algeria to reform tourism for patronage of cultural, scenic wonders

Published

7 months ago

June 4, 2024

To enhance its reputation as a tourist powerhouse, Algeria plans to attract more tourists to its various artistic and scenic wonders as the largest nation in Africa.

With its strategic location just one hour’s flight from Europe, the vast country in North Africa provides beaches, mountains, and Roman and Islamic ruins. Its haunting Saharan landscapes allow travellers to sleep under the stars on dunes and ride camels with Tuareg nomads. Nevertheless, the tourism ministry reports that although tourist-friendly Morocco saw 14.5 million foreign visitors in 2023, larger and wealthier Algeria only saw 3.3 million.

Although security has significantly improved, experts note that for tourism to grow, Algeria must address its rigid visa requirements, and inadequate transportation infrastructure, and offer incentives to both domestic and foreign private businesses.

The National Tourism Office’s General Director, Saliha Nacerbay, presented intentions to bring in 12 million visitors by 2030, an ambitious fourfold increase.

“To achieve this, we, as the tourism and traditional industry sector, are seeking to encourage investments, provide facilities to investors, build tourist and hotel facilities,” she said, speaking at the International Tourism and Travel Fair, hosted in Algiers from May 30 to June 2.

Algeria intends to construct new hotels as well as renovate and update current ones. According to the Ministry of Tourism, over 2,000 projects have been approved thus far, 800 of which are presently being built.

Along with restoring its historical landmarks, the nation has designated 249 sites for increased tourism. About seventy sites have been prepared, according to officials, and restoration plans are in the works for fifty more locations.

Patrick Lebeau, a French traveller, quoted by Reuters emphasized that to fully realize Algeria’s tourism promises, infrastructure improvements are necessary.

“Obviously, there is a lot of tourism potential, but much work still needs to be done to attract us,” Lebeau said.

Algeria had 543,500 employees related to tourism and travel in 2021, according to the Statista website. On the other hand, Moroccan tourism experts estimate that the industry supports 700,000 direct jobs in the kingdom in addition to numerous indirect jobs.

Culture

Ghana’s Supreme Court dismisses suit challenging anti-LGBT bill

Published

3 days ago

December 19, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Ghana’s Supreme Court has dismissed two separate suits challenging the legality of one of the proposed anti-LGBT legislations awaiting assent into law by the president.

The separate suits were filed by two legal practitioners, Amanda Odoi and Richard Sky, challenging the bill, seeking to declare it illegal and prevent the president from signing it.

The two cases had challenged the constitutionality of the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill.

But in a ruling on Wednesday, the Supreme Court unanimously decided to dismiss the legal challenges to the new anti-LGBT legislation that has been criticised by rights groups.

The controversial bill was passed earlier this year by Ghanaian lawmakers with three years imprisonment for people identifying as LGBT and five years for forming or funding LGBT groups.

While dismissing the cases, presiding judge, Justice Avril Lovelace-Johnson, who delivered the ruling on behalf of the seven-member panel, said the cases were premature.

“Until there’s presidential assent, there is no act, the two cases were “unanimously dismissed,” she said.

The ruling is the latest blow to the LGBTQ community in Ghana and paves the way for the president to sign into law what many say is one of Africa’s most restrictive piece of anti-LGBTQ legislation.

President Nana Akufo-Addo, whose term in office ends on 7 January, had delayed signing it pending the outcome of the Supreme Court challenge but the judges said the case could not be reviewed until it had been signed it into law.

It expected that incoming president, John Mahama, will sign the bill into law as he had always expressed his support for the bill during his electioneering campaigns.

Culture

UNESCO lists Ghana’s Kente cloth as cultural heritage

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The iconic Ghanaian Kente, a piece of clothing, has been recognized as a cultural heritage on UNESCO’s Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The global recognition, according to the UN body, is coming under the 2003 Convention for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage highlights the cultural and historical significance of the vibrant, handwoven textile.

In a citation on its website, UNESCO describes the Kente cloth as “originating from Ghana’s Asante and Ewe communities and renowned worldwide for its bold colors, intricate patterns, and deep symbolic meanings, embodying the creativity and identity of the Ghanaian people.”

Ghana’s Tourism Minister, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, described the recognition as a testament to Ghana’s commitment to preserving its cultural heritage.

“This achievement places Ghana at the forefront of global efforts to safeguard and celebrate cultural traditions,” he noted.

In a statement acknowledging the recognition, Mercer said the “Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture (MoTAC) expressed gratitude to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, UNESCO, and the artisans, cultural institutions, and traditional authorities who contributed to this milestone.”

“Special acknowledgement is given to the Bonwire and Agotime communities for their enduring role as custodians of the craft.

“As Ghana celebrates this historic moment, MoTAC reaffirms its dedication to promoting and preserving the nation’s rich cultural legacy.”