(SLENA, 8th November, 2022).The Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs sector in Sierra Leone has something good to write home about as far as tourism in the world is concerned. The Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Memunatu B. Pratt has recently received an accolade, which has left an indelible mark for Sierra Leoneans in particular, and in West Africa at large.
In keeping the members of the Fourth Estate abreast about the status quo of the tourism sector in Sierra Leone, the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Memunatu B. Pratt declared that she has presently been named as the best Minister of Tourism for West Africa, Recipient of the African Leadership Award in Tourism and Minister of the year by the African Tourism Board. She made this declaration on the 3rd November 2022 at a press briefing at the Ministry of Information and Communications, Youyi Building. She said that prior to 2018, the tourism sector in Sierra Leone was in the back burner. Upon giving the appraisal to HE the president for making tourism one of the road sector for economic diversification, the Honourable Minister mentioned that since the president took that decision in the new direction manifesto, things have changed tremendously in the tourism sector. She added that « Even to have people or Ministers who will happily want to be transferred or posted to the ministry of tourism including civil servants, workers was seen as a dead end. She stated that the above story has changed today because of the leadership of the President.
She continued that, today people can now hear about the Ministry of Tourism around the country. She also mentioned that people can feel it, see it in the areas of arts, hotel development, hotel management, international events, marketing and rebranding and infrastructure. The Minister said that the ministry is using tourism as vector to promote international development, telling the story of women, entrepreneurship and marketing the positives about Sierra Leone. According to her, a good number of people want to invest in Sierra Leone, affiliate and associate with Sierra Leone.
She furthered that the award is coming at a very important time; a time that Sierra Leone will be hosting the Budapest-Bamako-Freetown challenge. Due to the hosting of Budapest-Bamako-Freetown challenge, Sierra Leone is considered to be a hospitable country by the Minister. Also, this event is going to put Sierra Leone on a global map, says the Minister.
The Honourable Minister concluded that she is fighting tooth and nail to ensure that Sierra Leone reaches to where it should be.
