Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA)
Ghana's tourism sector witnessed a significant boost last year, with tourism receipts soaring from $2.51 billion in 2022 to $3 billion in 2023, surpassing the pre-COVID-19 record of $3.31 billion, Graphic Online reports.
This increase in revenue was attributed to a surge in the number of tourists, which rose to 1.148 million, a substantial increase from the 914,892 recorded in 2022.
The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) revealed these figures during the presentation of the 2023 Tourism Report, themed "Strong Recovery," highlighting the sector's resilience following the pandemic's disruptions.
According to Spencer Doku, the GTA's Director of Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation, last year's average tourist expenditure increased to $3,746.65, up from $2,931 in 2019.
The report also showed a remarkable rebound in international arrivals, with a 76% surge in total arrivals during the third and fourth quarters of 2021.
The positive trend continued into 2022, nearly doubling arrivals and marking a 47% growth. In 2023, arrivals reached 1,148,002, a 25% increase from the previous year and a 2% rise above pre-COVID figures.
The United States, Nigeria, and Britain were identified as the top contributors to international arrivals from 2019 to 2023. Cruise ships docking at the Takoradi and Tema ports welcomed a total of 9,152 visitors in 2023, exploring attractions in the Western and Central regions.
The Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park emerged as the premier tourist destination, attracting 208,577 visitors last year.
The generating markets of December in GH (DiGH) participants saw the highest total arrivals of 125,461, 7.7% more than the pre-pandemic arrivals in December 2019.
In terms of accommodation, hotel stays experienced a slight decline of 3-5%, while Airbnb usage surged from 11.5% in 2021 to 27% in 2023. Participants stayed an average of 17 nights, with males staying slightly longer at 17 days compared to females at 16 days.
The GTA CEO, Akwasi Agyeman, highlighted the resilience of industry partners in revitalizing Ghana's tourism landscape post-COVID-19. He emphasized the need for innovation and improvement of tourist sites to attract more visitors, mentioning upcoming additions like the Nationalism Park and Geese Park.
Additionally, the GTA has initiated engagements with Airbnb to sign an MoU on the payment of taxes and levies. Agyeman stressed the importance of compliance with rules and regulations for Airbnb operators, including acquiring licenses and paying relevant taxes and levies.
The GTA has also opened its portal to receive proposals for events, receiving about 48 events as of last Friday.
These developments signal a promising recovery for Ghana's tourism sector and underscore the importance of sustainable growth and development in the industry.