Air travel in Ghana has
been on a strong upward trajectory with the last two years showing a
steep rise in both domestic and international passenger traffic.
International aircraft
movements to and from the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) have
improved tremendously between 2012 and 2013, as a result of the
operation of new entrants into the industry and increased flight
frequency of existing airlines.
Domestic aircraft
movements, on the other hand, experienced a sharp increase as a result
of growing demand, reliable services and competitive air fares offered
passengers by operators compared to road transporters.
Pursuing the aim of
making Ghana the gateway to Africa and an aviation hub in the West
African sub-region, management of the Ghana Airports Company Limited
(GACL) has unveiled an ambitious programme to bring KIA at par with some
of the best in the world in terms of infrastructure, security and
services.
In order to stay
competitive, governments in Senegal, Togo and Nigeria have committed
significant financial resources to upgrade their airport infrastructure.
The GACL at its second
Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Accra last week announced its decision
to source for and invest over US$600million in the next three years “to
enhance and expand our airport infrastructure and services.”
This has been occasioned
by the recent promulgation of the Airport Tax (Amendment ) 2013 Act 858
which enables the GACL to retain 100% tariff.
The development,
according to the Board of the company, will improve GACL’s ability to
leverage on its potential income to raise funding to improve
international and domestic air travel facilities, human resources, build
new airports and thereby raise the image of Ghana as a favourable
investment destination.
The company has,
therefore, instructed its bankers to go to the capital market and raise a
syndicated facility payable within eight to ten years.
Strategies are underway
to increase capacity and improve the operating efficiencies of the
country’s airports at KIA, Kumasi, Tamale and Sunyani by upgrading and
expanding infrastructure and service facilities, and also develop new
regional aerodromes.
In line with the new
trend in airport business management which emphasises non-aeronautical
businesses, GACL intends to grow the non-aeronautical revenues of the
company and increase its percentage contribution to total revenue from
the current level of 10% to 30% within the next five years.
“Through joint ventures
with private sector players and Public Private Partnerships, we will
pursue opportunities in commercial real estate such as offices, hotels,
malls, retail shopping malls, entertainment centres, car parks and other
airport related development on the landside of our airports,” Mr Asare
disclosed.
The aviation sector plays
an important role in the global economy by providing connectivity
through the only rapid worldwide transport network.
In doing so, the direct
and wider impact on jobs and GDP globally is enormous—contributing over
22 million jobs and US$1.4 trillion in GDP. Moreover, the sector makes
contributions to other industries by facilitating their growth and
supporting their operations.
With a significant
proportion of international tourists depending on air transport, the
aviation industry supports 34.5 million jobs within tourism globally,
contributing around US$762 billion a year to world GDP.
It supports tourism and
international business by providing the world’s only rapid worldwide
transportation network. Airlines transported 2.8 billion passengers and
47.6 million metric tonnes of air cargo in 2011, connecting the world’s
cities with 36,000 routes.
By providing these
services, the aviation industry plays an important role in enabling
economic growth and providing various economic and social benefits.
The connections made
between cities and markets produce an important infrastructure asset
that facilitates activities that enhance a nation’s productivity.
More specifically, air
transport enables foreign direct investment (FDI), business cluster
development, specialization, and other spillover effects.
Source: http://www.ghanaweb.com
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