Page 14 - Liberia Exhibit Magazine Issue1
P. 14
Feature
What makes these plans different from
previous ones that did not see the light of
day?
There is a serious commitment now from
the Government of Liberia under the leader-
ship of President George Manneh Weah and
the increased involvement of private sector
actors are what make the difference. We are
determined to improve the sector. Right now,
we have written our partners for funding to
support the Liberia Culture and Tourism Pro-
gram that would empower people with skills
to have means to sell their products and at the
same time train others.
What is missing link you have found in
the Liberian tourism industry?
The issue of coordination among actors
in the sector is the missing link. At least, we
are grateful now that we have national tourism
steering committee comprising of the Ministry
of Information Culture and Tourism, the For-
estry Development Authority, Environmental
Protection Agency, the Ministry of Commerce,
Liberia Immigration Service and the Liberia
Maritime Authority. We need to have a nation-
al coordinating team that will supervise the
national export strategy. The Minister started
it with a small team of seven persons with the
Ministry of Information Culture and Tourism
as Chair, Co-chaired by the Ministry of Com-
merce, the Liberia National Tourism Associa-
tion and Forestry Development Authority.
If you were to name one major project
to be undertaken in the tourism industry,
what would that be?
Besides the legal framework like the na-
tional policy, the tourism policy, the visa upon
arrival policy, my major focus will be to de-
velop some of those major attractions- those
seven selected attractions like the Blue Lake,
Providence Island, Kpatawee because they
create employment. So, if they are devel-
oped, they would create employment for our
sisters and brothers in the sector.
Do you care to mention anything we did
not ask about?
I feel that tourism can create more sustain-
able jobs than agriculture. For instance, you
can make farm today and be unable tomor-
row. But if you develop Kpatawee Waterfall
for example, in the next 10 to 15 years, it will
still be the same. The soil can lose relevance
but tourists’ attraction will lifetime assets. I
will encourage more people to invest in the
country’s tourism sector and Liberia is open
for business in all sector including the tourism
area.
14 LIBERIA EXHIBIT | JANUARY - JUNE
What makes these plans different from
previous ones that did not see the light of
day?
There is a serious commitment now from
the Government of Liberia under the leader-
ship of President George Manneh Weah and
the increased involvement of private sector
actors are what make the difference. We are
determined to improve the sector. Right now,
we have written our partners for funding to
support the Liberia Culture and Tourism Pro-
gram that would empower people with skills
to have means to sell their products and at the
same time train others.
What is missing link you have found in
the Liberian tourism industry?
The issue of coordination among actors
in the sector is the missing link. At least, we
are grateful now that we have national tourism
steering committee comprising of the Ministry
of Information Culture and Tourism, the For-
estry Development Authority, Environmental
Protection Agency, the Ministry of Commerce,
Liberia Immigration Service and the Liberia
Maritime Authority. We need to have a nation-
al coordinating team that will supervise the
national export strategy. The Minister started
it with a small team of seven persons with the
Ministry of Information Culture and Tourism
as Chair, Co-chaired by the Ministry of Com-
merce, the Liberia National Tourism Associa-
tion and Forestry Development Authority.
If you were to name one major project
to be undertaken in the tourism industry,
what would that be?
Besides the legal framework like the na-
tional policy, the tourism policy, the visa upon
arrival policy, my major focus will be to de-
velop some of those major attractions- those
seven selected attractions like the Blue Lake,
Providence Island, Kpatawee because they
create employment. So, if they are devel-
oped, they would create employment for our
sisters and brothers in the sector.
Do you care to mention anything we did
not ask about?
I feel that tourism can create more sustain-
able jobs than agriculture. For instance, you
can make farm today and be unable tomor-
row. But if you develop Kpatawee Waterfall
for example, in the next 10 to 15 years, it will
still be the same. The soil can lose relevance
but tourists’ attraction will lifetime assets. I
will encourage more people to invest in the
country’s tourism sector and Liberia is open
for business in all sector including the tourism
area.
14 LIBERIA EXHIBIT | JANUARY - JUNE
