Tourism ranks as 4th largest contributor to foreign exchange earnings in Ghana – Yofi Grant

Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Promotion Center (GIPC), Yofi Grant, has revealed that the tourism sector ranks as the country’s fourth-largest earner of foreign exchange.

He highlighted the significant growth of the tourism sector in recent years, attributing it to its appealing characteristics.

Yofi Grant pointed out political stability and adherence to the Rule of Law as contributing factors to the remarkable expansion of the tourism sector.

To support his assertion, he pointed out that Ghana has emerged as a destination of happiness for both local and international tourists.

In his opinion, the tourism sector generates employment opportunities for young people and bolsters the economy.

“Tourism is a low-hanging fruit for the growth of the economy only because it has import ability. We can actually import tourists; it also creates jobs, and it is probably one of the areas where jobs can be created organically without much effort,” he said.

The GIPC CEO added that, “The Bank of Ghana estimates that tourism is the 4th biggest earner of forex in Ghana, trailing behind gold and cocoa, so it is important to our economy.”

Yofi Grant was speaking on the theme: “Regulatory framework for tourism infrastructure and its growth.”

According to the 2023 report from the Ghana Tourism Authority, a substantial number of visitors, totaling 1,157,632, explored the top attractions, constituting a notable portion of the 1,407,709 visits to various tourist destinations.

Furthermore, the following are the top 10 most visited tourist sites in Ghana:

• Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park

• National Museum

• Kakum National Park

• Kumasi Zoo

• Cape Coast Castle

• Aburi Botanical Gardens

• Elmina Castle

• Bunso Arboretum

• Accra Zoo

• Manhyia Palace Museum