Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs
(MTCA) and its sub vented agency, the National Tourists Board (NTB), have engaged officials from Sierra Leone Cable Limited (SALCAB) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM) to map out strategic ways forward towards promoting E-Tourism governance in the country.
This tripartite meeting was held on Tuesday 28th July 2020 at the Ministry’s Conference hall in Freetown.
The Director of Tourism, Mr. Mohamed Jalloh in his statement, lauded the initiative and said the meeting was timely and significant to the tourism industry as it will increase the country’s online presence and international competitiveness as a destination.
The Hon. Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Memunatu B. Pratt, expressed appreciation towards this development stating that with the promotion of online Tourism, the issue of poor recording system, lateness in decision making, weak transparency and accountability will be a thing of the past. She further emphasised that combination of governance and E-tourism will promote digital packaging of the nation’s tourism products. “This system will now help us incorporate the electronic data derived from my Ministry’s geo-physical survey into E- tourism system,” she added. The Hon. Minister concluded that there is a need for setting up of internal electronic system that will aid collaboration and interaction with public and private partners.
She also advocated to the telecommunications agencies to use her Ministry as a pilot face of their online governance drive.
Mr. Ishmael Kebbay, the SALCAB Managing Director, responded that the initiative will help reduce wastages, accelerate transparency and work at all levels. He recommended the creation of a technical working team that will fast track the implementation of said E-Tourism project.
The representative from the National Telecommunications Commission Mr. Harding E. Tommy, who is the Director of Civil Relations in the commission, stressed the need for the establishment of internet facilities in all tourism hot spots and recommended the incorporation of all telecommunications companies into the partnership.
