Tourism gains: Now let’s grow value, not just numbers

The country welcomed 1,306,962 international tourists in 2025.

That is 1.4 per cent more than the 1,288,804 arrivals recorded in 2024, according to the Ghana Tourism Authority’s (GTA) 2025 Tourism Report. (See front page for story).

On the surface, it is steady growth. It tells a story of resilience after COVID-19, of a sector that has clawed back confidence and kept the gates open. But the numbers also tell a second story, and it is the one we must pay attention to. While arrivals edged up, tourism receipts fell.

Receipts dropped from US$4.82 billion in 2024 to an estimated US$4.34 billion in 2025.

Average visitor expenditure declined from US$3,742.98 to US$3,319.90. More people came. Each person spent less.

That is the difference between growth and value. 

And for tourism to truly drive the economy, we must chase the second.

The GTA described 2025 as a period of “resilience and sustainable growth”.

The description fits.

Business travel led arrivals at 31 per cent, followed by visits to family and relatives at 23 per cent. Holiday and leisure travel combined accounted for only 20 per cent.

The United States remained our largest source market with 155,289 visitors, followed by Nigeria with 136,552 and the UK with 56,588.

More than 60 per cent of visitors were repeat travellers.

Visitors stayed an average of 13 nights.

Hotels were the choice of 50 per cent of tourists, with private homes at 28 per cent and Airbnb at 12 per cent.

Most encouraging is what visitors said about the country.

The Ghanaian friendliness scored 99 per cent satisfaction.

Airport facilities and formalities scored 98 per cent each.

Those are not just statistics.

They are the country’s competitive advantage.

No marketing budget can buy the warmth that makes a tourist return home and tell 10 friends, “You must visit Ghana.”

Domestic tourism also grew.

Visits to 55 tourist sites rose seven per cent to 1.79 million, with residents accounting for 84 per cent of that demand.

Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park led with 302,523 visitors, followed by Kakum National Park at 203,222 and Bunso Arboretum at 149,319. 

When Ghanaians explore the country, we build an industry that does not collapse when global travel slows.

The formal tourism economy also expanded. Licensed enterprises grew from 6,702 to 7,109.

Travel trade businesses jumped 18.6 per cent. Food, beverage and entertainment grew 8.2 per cent.

Formalisation means more tax revenue, better standards, and stronger jobs.

So yes, resilience. Yes, consolidation, but the falling receipts signal a ceiling we must break.

The GTA is right: we must now focus on “attracting higher-value visitors, expanding opportunities across all regions, and strengthening competitiveness”.

Here is how. Business travel will always be important.

But leisure tourists spend more per day on tours, crafts, food, and entertainment.

“Year of Return” and “Beyond the Return” proved Ghana can pull diaspora and global leisure travellers. We must now package and market regional circuits: the North for culture and wildlife, Volta for eco-tourism, the Central Region beyond the castles, and the Western Region for beaches and cocoa heritage.

Thirteen nights should mean 13 new experiences, not 13 nights in one hotel.

Every cedi a tourist spends should stay in Ghana as much as possible.

That means growing local supply chains for food, crafts, and services.

It means bringing Airbnb and private-home hosts into the licensing and training net so they meet standards and contribute to tourism development levies.

It means promoting “Made in Ghana” souvenirs over imported trinkets at sites.

That 99 per cent friendliness rating is gold. But hospitality fades when workers are underpaid, undertrained, and overworked. Invest in tourism and hospitality training at TVET and tertiary levels. Enforce standards without killing small operators.

And keep airport services at 98 per cent. First impressions are last impressions.

Make domestic tourism a policy, not an afterthought. Ghanaians made up 84 per cent of domestic visits.

That is our base. Subsidised travel packages for residents during low seasons, school tourism clubs, and “See Ghana First” campaigns can smooth demand and keep sites viable year-round. 

Tourism is not just about earning foreign exchange. It is about jobs for youth, markets for farmers, income for artisans, and pride for communities.

The 7,109 licensed enterprises are 7,109 centres of livelihood.

Each visitor who leaves with a story of Ghanaian kindness is an ambassador we did not have to pay.

But we must be honest: arrivals alone will not build a US$5 billion-plus industry.

Value per visitor will.

The drop from US$4.82 billion to US$4.34 billion should alarm us more than the 1.4 per cent rise in arrivals should comfort us.

Ghana has the assets: history, nature, culture, and people.

We have the loyalty: 60 per cent repeat visitors prove we are doing something right.

What we need now is a strategy that converts nights into experiences, and experiences into higher spending that stays in local pockets.

Let 2026 be the year Ghana stops counting heads and starts growing value.

More tourists are welcome.

But wealthier experiences, wider regional spread, and deeper local capture are what will make tourism a true pillar of our economy. 

The world is already saying Ghana is friendly.

Now let us make sure Ghana is also unforgettable - and profitable.