The Department of Hospitality and Tourism (DHMT)of the University of Cape Coast has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Komenda Edina Eguafo Abrem (KEEA) Municipal Assembly to position KEEA as a “Model Tourist Destination” in the country. The Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof. Eric Amuquandoh, signed on behalf of the Department, whilst the Municipal Chief of KEEA, Nana Appiah Korang, signed for the Municipal Assembly. With the signing of the MoU, DHMT will provide technical advice for tourism and hospitality development and also develop tourism development policy mode and plan. The department will also conduct periodic scientific research on tourism for KEEA. In addition to this, DHMT would build tourism and hospitality management capacity for relevant stakeholders and establish a sustainable governance system that will ensure the viability of attractions and tourism in general. KEEA as a beneficiary of the services would also provide the necessary financial support and also appoint a schedule officer for Tourism to act as a liaison between the Assembly and DHMT. KEEA would also provide the necessary recognition, clearance and logistical support for staff of UCC to undertake activities in the agreement. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Prof. Amuquandoh said KEEA has a number of tourist sites with some of them untapped. Notably, he mentioned, amongst them are the fort and castles, first Catholic Cathedral, Dutch Cemetery, slave route, night beaches. Again, the Dean pointed out that towns like Elmina, Komenda and many others still have some traces of colonial heritage. Prof. Amuquandoh expressed excitement that the University of Cape Coast through the Department was partnering the Assembly to help provide quality services to tourists and also make the Municipality a tourist destination in the country. That, he stressed “can help create jobs, generate enough revenue for the Assembly and also bring development to the various towns in the municipality.” Prof. Amuquandoh noted that the Department would be conducting research and also engaging the assembly to adopt best practices that would boost tourism in the municipality, adding “good research impact positively on the society”. The Head of the Department of Hospitality and Tourism, Prof. Kwaku A. Boakye, said the collaboration formed part of the Department’s community service to the Assembly. He lauded his predecessor, Dr. Edem Amenumey, for initiating the collaboration between the Department and the Assembly. He gave an assurance that the Dean and the Provost of College of Humanities and Legal Studies, Prof. Dora Edu-Buandoh, were in full support of the partnership. Prof. Boakye added that the strategic location of KEEA along an international highway and the presence of world class hotels was a great opportunity which the two parties could easily package to attract more tourists to stay and spend more days in the municipality. He said the Department would conduct a “destination sweep” in all the communities in the municipality to identify other potential tourist attraction to guide the assembly in the development of these sites. On his part, the MCE of KEEA, Nana Appiah Korang expressed worry that the people in the municipality, especially Elmina was yet to benefit from the numerous tourist attractions around them. He observed that “while others communities have developed through tourism, our case is different, the level of poverty does not speak well of us so we need to do something to improve the standard of living of our people”. He was happy that the University has come on board to help the Assembly develop tourism in the municipality to attract more tourists from all over the world. Present at the signing ceremony were some lecturers of the Department of Hospitality and Tourism. The MCE of KEEA was also accompanied by some staff and members of the Tourism and Sanitation Sub-committee of the Assembly.