The CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Akwasi Agyemang, highlighted that Ghana has yet to fully exploit its tourism potential.
While acknowledging the significant progress made, he emphasized the substantial opportunities for further growth.
Agyemang mentioned that international arrivals, which reached around 1.1 million by the end of 2019, saw a decline in 2020 due to COVID-19.
However, by 2023, the industry had not only recovered but exceeded pre-pandemic levels.
He also noted the remarkable increase in domestic tourism.
In 2017, approximately 500,000 Ghanaians engaged in local tourism, a number that surged to 1.4 million by 2023, reflecting a substantial rise in local tourist activity.
Speaking on the JoyNews AM show, Agyemang highlighted the sector’s growth in cruise tourism, stating that there was a time when a cruise ship might dock at Ghana’s ports, Tema or Takoradi, only once every two years. In contrast, nearly 10,000 cruise passengers arrived in 2023 alone.
These statistics, he noted, demonstrate the positive impact of the GTA’s efforts in marketing, licensing, and regulation. Yet, Agyemang believes that much more can be done to fully realize Ghana’s tourism potential.
He pointed out the interconnected nature of tourism with other sectors such as road infrastructure and sanitation. “People are beginning to understand that the impact on tourism cannot be isolated from health, sanitation, or road conditions,” he said.