Posts
A
captivating scene of lakes, rivers, estuaries and beaches gently
unfolds against a backdrop of lush forest and lofty mountain. These are
all elements that characterize Paragliding.
For
a long time, it has been a desire of man to fly in the open skies,
enjoy the beauties of nature and look upon the landscapes, rivers, and
mountains from high above.
Paragliding
is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying
paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft
with no rigid primary structure.
Despite
not using an engine, paraglider flights can last many hours and cover
many hundreds of kilometres, though flights of 1–2 hours and covering
some tens of kilometres are more the norm.
Paragliding
is a potentially dangerous recreational activity. In the United States
for example, an average of slightly less than 1 in every 1,000 active
paraglider pilots has been fatally injured every year since 1994. In
France around 6 of every 1,000 pilots were seriously injured, while only
2 of every 10,000 pilots were fatally injured in 2011.
With all the challenges characterized in paragliding, it remains one of the sorts after recreational activities worldwide.
Though
the adventure has its roots from Europe and the Americas, South Africa
and Ghana has showed that the sports can be use as a potential landmark
to boost tourism on the continent.
Paragliding in South Africa
Haven't
we all at some point watched in envy as raptors soared overhead in
flight? South Africa's many ridges and mountain lines run like great
arteries throughout the country, making paragliding in South Africa both
a delight and, at times, a daunting challenge. South Africa is the
first African country to engage paragliding as a recreational activity.
South
Africa is a popular tourist destination, and a substantial amount of
revenue comes from tourism. Among the main attractions are the diverse
and picturesque culture, the game reserves and the highly regarded local
wines. In recent years, tourism in South Africa has seen high growth
with the first five months of 2007 showing the highest levels of tourism
in South Africa since 1998.
The
South African Hang Gliding & Paragliding Association (SAHPA) has
generated more than 50% of world records in this sport - most of them
established in the Karoo.
Although
most of the country's 9 provinces offer the sport, the relatively flat
Karoo heartland is one of the best areas for paragliding. The towns of
De Aar and Kuruman in the Northern Cape Province are the centers of
Karoo paragliding.
The Western Cape has more than 60 official paragliding launch-and-flight sites.
KwaZulu-Natal Midlands are also a favored spot for this rewarding leisure activity.
Paragliding
is the simplest and purest form of flying there is. Whether you dream
of soaring above the hills, or taking your canopy on holiday with you to
explore exotic locations from the air, paragliding is the way to go.
Paragliding in Ghana
When
you step off of the plane in Accra, the capital of Ghana, the
equatorial air hits you like a steamy, sultry cloud, full of unfamiliar
aromas and promises of exciting adventures. Loud music, hot food,
gorgeous views and friendly faces begin to warm your soul and spread a
huge smile across your face! And that's not all that you have to be
happy about, because there is also plenty of sky to explore while
free-flying!
Since
its inception in 2005, the Kwahu Easter Paragliding Festival has
attracted thousands of Ghanaians from all walks of life and foreigners
alike.
Twenty-one
pilots from the United States of America, Norway, France, Brazil,
Japan, South Africa and Australia participates Paragliding festival on
the Atibie Kwahu Mountains in the Eastern Region.
Paragliders
are not cheap, although they represent one of the least expensive ways
to get into the air. A new paraglider suitable for a recently trained
pilot will cost up to around £2,000; secondhand canopies can be obtained
for much less.
The
Minister for Tourism, Ms. Akua Dansua reiterated her Ministry's agenda
to promote tourism internationally and domestically, adding that the
paragliding festival at Kwahu is going to be a significant part of this
development.
According
to her, with the passage of the Tourism Bill by Parliament, which is
awaiting presidential assent, Tourism development will be taken to
another level.
She
encouraged stakeholders in the industry to continue to nurture the
festival and other domestic tourism programmes to attract participation
from both local and international visitors as Ghana prepares to move
into a phase of accelerated development and modernisation agenda.
The
Paragliding festival enriched the local economy since facilities such
as hotels and restaurants experience increased patronage.
According
to the Special Events Manager of the Ghana Tourist Authority (GTA),
Benjamin Anane Nsiah the 2012 paragliding festival in Kwahu suffered a
decline in revenue compared to that of last year.
The low revenue was blamed on bad weather conditions that caused disruption in flights.
GTA officials say already, more than 200 people subscribed to paragliding one of the biggest sorts after events in West Africa.
The
Kwahu Easter Paragliding Festival has become a popular event attraction
on the country’s tourism calendar and imprinted on the country’s
domestic tourism calendar.
It
is normally characterised by a plethora of entertainment, music and
dancing, greatly enhancing domestic tourism as it encourages more
Ghanaians to show interest in the tourism potentials of the country.
Samuel Mantey
Email: Sammyoo3@yahoo.com
Twitter: SamuelMantey
