Ocran elected President of Ghana Tourism Federation
The Ghana Tourism Federation (GHATOF) has elected new council executives to run the affairs of the federation for the next two years.
The Founder and Executive Chair of Yoks Investment Limited, Seth Yeboah Ocran, was elected President of the Federation after polling 68 out of 72 votes cast at the 2025 GHATOF Executive Council Elections held at the Coconut Grove Regency Hotel in Accra.
The President of the Chefs Association of Ghana, Isaac Sackey, emerged as Vice-President after narrowly defeating Patricia Owusu-Darko of the Institute of Hospitality by 37 to 35 votes.
The elections, which saw participation from all 15 trade associations under GHATOF, each represented by five delegates, were supervised by an independent electoral committee and observed by officials from the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA).
Commendation
In his acceptance speech, Mr Ocran expressed gratitude to members of the Federation for the confidence reposed in him, describing his victory as a collective triumph for all stakeholders in Ghana’s tourism industry.
He extended appreciation to his fellow contender, Mr Adu Gyemfi, who graciously stepped down at the last minute.
Mr Ocran also paid tribute to the outgoing leadership for their dedication and hard work, assuring members that his administration would build on their legacy through innovation, resilience and collaboration.
He said the new leadership was assuming office at a defining moment in the country’s tourism journey.
“Tourism is not just about beautiful destinations; it is about jobs, trade, culture, identity and national development. We must be ready not only to welcome visitors, but to inspire, satisfy and retain them,” he said.
Vision
The new president, as GHATOF marks its 30th anniversary this year, outlined a vision anchored on visibility, policy reforms, sustainability and digital transformation.
He announced priority initiatives, including a national visibility and public awareness campaign, policy reforms and certification integration, plastic pollution prevention projects, customer service improvement programmes, and a tourism digitalisation drive.
Mr Ocran further pledged to strengthen collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), the Ghana Tourism Development Company, the National House of Chiefs, the Ghana Police Service, the National Media Commission, and the Ghana Journalists Association, among others.
He gave an assurance that his administration would support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and indigenous tourism businesses to access financing and promote domestic tourism through initiatives such as the Black Star Experience.
Solidarity
Delivering a speech on behalf of the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Director Policy Planning, Budgeting, Monitoring and Evaluation at the Ministry, Dr Alphonse Kumaza, commended GHATOF for its sustained leadership and collaboration with the ministry and its agencies.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to deepening partnerships with GHATOF to create an enabling environment for tourism, culture and the creative economy to thrive.
The minister’s representative further expressed optimism that the new leadership would steer GHATOF to greater heights in pursuit of excellence and collaboration for the good of the country’s tourism, hospitality, culture and creative economy.
