The West African nation Ghana, formerly known as the Gold Coast, has increasingly become an attractive destination for many tourists who seek to either get away from the stress of work, spend time with friends and family or change their natural environments. It is an endowed country blessed with dozens of historical monuments and tourist sites.
Ghana’s year-round tropical warm climate along with its wildlife; exotic waterfalls such as Kintampo waterfalls as well as the largest waterfall in West Africa, the Tagbo Falls; Ghana’s coastal palm-lined sandy beaches; caves ; mountains ; meteorite impact crater and lakes such as Lake Bosumtwi make it the place to be. Ghana is also home to the largest lake in the world by surface area – the Lake Volta, dozens of castles and forts, nature reserves and national parks . In 2023, nearly 133,900 tourists just from the United States arrived in Ghana, which was the highest number compared to other countries of origin. Nigeria and the U.K followed with around 82,600 and 51,800 tourists, respectively. Overall, approximately 1.15 million international tourists arrived within Ghana’s borders in 2023, representing a 25% increase compared to previous year.
In the 2023 Tourism Report, titled “STRONG RECOVERY,” Spencer Doku, director of the department Research, Monitoring & Evaluation at the Ghana Tourism Authority, said “Africa has seen a recovery of 92% of pre-covid visitation numbers. Fortunately, Ghana is among the countries surpassing pre-pandemic arrivals and receipts, showcasing a strong recovery trend.”
Tourism contributes to Ghana’s economic growth. The overall international tourist growth in the country stood at around 946 million U.S. dollars in 2019. As of 2020, almost 80 percent of the tourist expenditure was for leisure while business spending made up the remaining 20 percent. Specifically, the highest average daily tourist expenditure was on accommodation, gifts, shopping, and entertainment.
Ghana is home to 538 km of Atlantic coastline with numerous beaches, national parks and wildlife reserves. Tourists can visit beach resorts for sun and sea tourism, as well as participate in water sports or ecotourism activities. Ghana has a tropical climate with year-round average temperatures between 21°C and 30°C. The rainy season runs from March to July and from September to October, while the rest of the year is mainly dry. This makes it attractive to tourists wanting to escape colder climates in the winter months.
Historical sites include more than 30 historical forts and castles built between the 14th and 18th centuries by various European countries. Kakum National Park, spanning 360 sq km in the southern rainforest, hosts endangered species and one of Africa’s three canopy walkways. In the north, Mole National Park, Ghana’s largest wildlife refuge, covers 4849 sq km.
Closer to Accra, the Shai Hills Resource Reserve attracts eco-tourists with 31 mammal species, 175 bird species and hundreds of butterfly species. The Bunso Arboretum, two hours from the capital, features over 110 species of birds and 30 butterfly species. Ghana’s waterfalls, including Wli, Kintampo and Boti Falls provide additional ecotourism attractions. Greater marketing emphasis on Ghana’s diverse natural and historical sites could drive both leisure and business visitors to explore regions beyond Accra.
The Ghanaian diaspora, notably from the US and the Caribbean has contributed in promoting the country as a tourist destination. This was evident in the 2019 Year of Return campaign, marking the 400th anniversary of the arrival of enslaved Africans in Jamestown, Virginia. The year of homecoming events helped to attract revenue of almost $2bn.
Most recently, Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism (MoTAC) marked Ghana’s tourism month in September 2023 with several events. The launch was held at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park at the end of August 2023, with participants from across the sector. The popular city park, located in Accra, is a tribute to the country’s first president and holds significant cultural and artistic significance. The event was aimed at attracting domestic tourists, promoting sustainable tourism, and making Ghana a preferred destination in West Africa.
As the third-largest contributor to GDP and a recipient of increasing levels of foreign investment each year, tourism is an important driver of economic growth in Ghana. International arrivals reached 411,000 in the first nine months of 2021, outpacing the 355,000 arrivals seen in 2020 – hinting at a recovery from the pandemic. The country also has the potential to boost its domestic tourism – as well as to develop niche tourism segments such as surfing and other water sports – by leveraging interest in its more well-known historical sites, national parks, and wildlife reserves. Taken together, these efforts are expected to help the West African country attract a diverse demographic of visitors. This strong recovery of Ghana tourism has inspired Akwasi Agyeman, CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority who declared that “The 2023 report stands as a testament to the resilience and hard work of our industry partners, whose dedication has been instrumental in revitalizing Ghana’s tourism landscape post COVID -19”. There is little doubt that the tourism industry will continue to progress in the years ahead.
Sources: Ghana Tourism Report 2023