2009 Media House of the
Year (Print) AWOL

...Ensuring IT is done the right way!!

A. ABESS
AIRPORT SHUTTLE

 Alie Hassan Shop Aberdeen Roundabout,  Fredbynna Stationery Shop; Lumley Roundabout,  Freetown Supermarket,  Essentials Supermarket,  Payless Supermarket,  &  Monoprix Supermarket  Wilkinson Road Freetown.

Before 11am in Makeni: Sulcut Tele Center Azzolini Highway and I. B. & Friends Tele Center Opposite the S.L.C.Bank.

Before 12noon in Bo: Bo Mini Market Sewah Road,  B.K.P.S. Staff Canteen,  EM & JAY Enterprise 1B Dambala Road by the Post Office,  M & S Trading 29 Fenton Road &  PAT-MOI Tele Centre Safecon Petrol Station Fenton Road 

Before 12noon in Kenema: T. Choithrams Supermarket,  Mr Shola Williams 7 Bus Park,  Infinity Internet Cafe 55 Hanga Road,  M. U. Kalokoh Holdings Via Zain Shop 35 Hanga Road  &  Skaikey Mobile Phone Centre 18 Hanga Road Kenema Town

Awoko Newspaper Your Preferred Option.

Minister Hindolo Trye, Katrina Manson (author) Cecil Williams Tourist board

The first travel guide exclusively dedicated to Sierra Leone was on Friday launched by the British High Commissioner Ian Hughes at a small but impressive ceremony at his Hill Station residence.
Noting that the residence has hosted many distinguished guests over the past 40 years, High Commissioner Hughes stated that for the occasion the guest of honour was the most important one they have ever had at the residence and it was Sierra Leone itself.
He pointed out that tourism is a very competitive business and Sierra Leone is competing with the likes of Jamaica, Fiji and South Africa. He urged the gathering to work together to make Sierra leone a tourist destination.
Ian Hughes noted that the thing that makes tourism work is not good articles or wonderful pictures although that can help but what makes it work is word of mouth. He said it is people going back home and saying to their neighbours and family “Sierra Leone Wow! What a fantastic place”. The next thing they do he said is they go into a bookshop and they buy something about Sierra Leone and they read about it and then they come.
He ended by saying that we have to work together to encourage the government to do what is right to make Sierra Leone a good tourist destination.
Tourism Minister Hindolo Trye spoke about Governments commitment and awareness of the tourism potentials. However he noted that if we look at the governments Agenda for Change the priorities are first electricity and then food security. Tourism he noted “is not a priority per se.”
Minister Trye pointed out that Tourism is interrelated with other areas, and would thrive better if we have better electricity, better landing facilities, and better road infrastructure. He however underscored the commitment of government to invest a lot in tourism.
He congratulated the Author for a job well done.
Ms. Katrina Manson a British national said the writing of the book took two years. She said that she met a man who told her about the most beautiful country that he visited. Later she said the man revealed that it was Sierra Leone and the more she researched the more she wanted to come here.
There was nothing like word of mouth and there was nothing like seeing a book in the travel section about Sierra Leone she said.
She said she was moved to do the book because the impression people had of the country was unfair. She said she did something on radio and within days the radio station was channeling people to her who were asking questions about Sierra Leone and wanted to come here.
Katrina disclosed that there are now 2 UK operators who do tours to Sierra Leone. Since the book came out she said the tour operators have revealed that they have been having a lot more requests from people wanting to come here.
She said she was happy that the launching of the book was done in Sierra Leone and thanked the High Commissioner for his support.