Interview with Mr. Thomas Okyere, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HELGARD Travel & Tours and Car Rental.


HELGARD Travel & Tours and Car Rental is one of the companies in Ghana providing excellent services in the hospitality industry. The company among other services, offers ticketing for all major airlines in Ghana, hotel and airline reservations. Since its establishment in 1994, it has been working efficiently to improve the hotel and hospitality industry in Ghana.

Q: Could you give us a brief historical background of the company?
A: HELGARD Travel & Tours and Car Rental was started around 1994 and has been growing from strength to strength since then. We have gone through a time when we practically had nothing; no clientele and had to undergo series of training to know exactly what we wanted to do in order to pursue our vision. Now we have a very good number of clients.

Q: What services does your company offer?
A: The company deals in ticketing for all major airlines in Ghana and does reservations for airlines and hotels. We also organize tour for people within and without, as well as rent vehicles to people. Again, we help the nation organize summits and conferences and were part of the appointed companies who helped in the organization of the recent AU summit held here in Accra.

Q: How did you get into the tourism industry? Was it something you wanted to do all along?
A: I observed that there was the need for people to care professionally for tourists who came to Ghana. The situation where people met tourists on the streets spontaneously and tried to take them around the country left much to be desired. Rather, tourists needed dedicated professional service which would also impact on the development of tourism in the country for the tourism industry to attain more international recognition. Also, I wanted to be an example to society. I think people should always give back to society; our families and society have given to us and we need to give back to them.

Q: Has the number of tourist visit increased in Ghana? And where do these tourists usually come from?
A: There are times when no groups come in at all in a year. However, about 2 to 3 groups come in a year now and that is where I see the increase coming. These tourists mostly come from the United States, England and Germany.

Q: What are your views about measures being taken by the government to attract diasporians into the country?
A: I think it is a good means of linking up with our people in the diaspora. It is in this light that the then Minister for Tourism launched the Joseph Project, where African-Americans in the diaspora would come back into the country and see how they could help make their roots better by contributing and imparting the skills and knowledge acquired to the Ghanaians, and for that matter, African society. Some have been able to trace their roots and are helping with developmental projects in the towns and areas they have realized they come from. I think that the measures being put in place to encourage people with black descent (diasporians) to come back and see their roots are very laudable.

Q: What are your competitive advantages?
A: HELGARD Travel & Tours and Car Rental is very efficient in service delivery. We have trained drivers who know the routes very well. Since its establishment, the company has registered only one case of accident. Our drivers do not rob or steal from clients, making it very safe to deal with us. These drivers know what they are about and are well schooled to know what to say and what not to say. Above all, we deliver excellent services at a very moderate cost.

Q: Why would you say Ghana is a safe destination for tourists?
A: I think Ghana is a destination to be chosen. First of all let me sound this caution; doctors outside there make people take Lariam and medicines that have adverse effects on their health; emotions and so on. I would say that these doctors should stop prescribing those drugs to people. When foreign tourists are here and want to take anti-malaria drugs, they can take Daraprim which is cheaper and have no side effects on one’s emotions - no depression. The medical environment here is not as dangerous as being portrayed outside, so people should discard those perceptions about Africa. It was rather in the 1600s that Africa lacked medication, definitely not today. Malaria is just like any other sickness; like fever and headache and does not kill as people are thinking. Moreover, malaria tablets which are capable of healing the sickness are available. The cost involved in preventive medication before foreign tourists leave their home countries can be reduced if sometimes doctors out there would change their attitude and not sell them those expensive medications and injections.

Q: How safe is Ghana? And does the tourism sector in Ghana have the needed infrastructure to promote the sector?
A: Talking of hotels, we have neat and nice hotels, very competitive and comparable to those of the outside world. Ghanaians are very nice and accommodating. Many people have been trained now and have begun exhibiting professionalism in the industry. I think people must come and taste of the Ghanaian hospitality industry. I have had several experiences where tourists visit Ghana and would always want to come back. Ghana is a safe haven and people can come. Security works well; though we can have our odds, it is still a nice place to be. Also, we have diverse kinds of vegetation; low savanna, forest belt, and the whole of the southern part is covered with beaches. Investors as well as tourists need to take advantage of the situation. Talking of infrastructure, I just went from Accra to Wa; that is, from the extreme south to the extreme north and, believe me, the road was not that bad. People are very friendly and welcoming.

Q: Why would you consider Ghana a suitable destination for investors?
A: In the first place, labor is not expensive here. Ghanaians work very hard if they are well-motivated or when they get what they are promised. You can get Ghanaians all around the world; almost in every country who are working very hard. We have the human capacity here. Secondly, there are not many of such companies here now, the earlier people come in, the better chance they have in acquiring their business share. Again, the political and economic situations have been very stable over the years. We practice healthy democracy here. Comparatively political parties are well-behaved and there is a healthy competition among these parties.

Q: On a personal level, tell us a bit about yourself and what your biggest achievement has been since you established this company.
A: My biggest achievement is to know that there is heaven, and that when I die I will go there. That is what I am very happy about and this I really want to give back to society, so I take care of the street guys. I have set up an orphanage to take care of the needy and it is one thing I have been very proud of over the years. I hail from the Ashanti region and come from a family of seven; five boys and two girls. My mother suffered a lot in taking care of us. Along the line, I had the chance to go to Germany for two and half years where I did data processing. I had training at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana. I am married with three children, of whom one is a doctor.

Q: What is your final message to our readers, business people and decision makers who will read about you in US News and on our Internet site www.winne.com?
A: Everybody who wants to come to Ghana should come through HELGARD Travel & Tours and Car Rental because we do better to make all customers feel at home and feel very much part of us. We want to be part of them, see them as friends and relate better with them, not just as customers who do business with us and walk away. We want a repeated service every time, and not just a service, so everybody should come to HELGARD Travel & Tours and Car Rental and taste of our professionalism.



Interviewed by Carlos Méndez
Accra - 2007-09-26