Ghana’s visa regime expensive, cumbersome
For Ghana to realise its dream of becoming a tourist destination of choice, it may not be enough to invest in physical infrastructure and sell the destination at travel fairs.
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It may also be in the country’s interest to listen to what potential tourists are saying about the Ghana Brand.
At the just-ended World Travel Market (WTM 2013), a number of visitors to Ghana’s stand had some complaints, chief among them being a visa regime that was not only expensive but also cumbersome.
One of them, an Austrian tour marketer, described Ghana as “an attraction that is not accessible”.
For him “accessibility” meant being able to access the destination without let or hindrance, be it visa acquisition, air fares or accommodation.
While some complained of the “high cost of acquiring visa”, a number of them spoke of the cumbersome process.
The Americans and Britons find it too cumbersome journeying from far away states or cities within the same country to get to New York or London for visas to Ghana. Often, they say, one has to wait for weeks to pick up the processed passport.
“One hundred dollars for a visa may not be the most expensive in the world, but it’s a lot of money for an ordinary American or British working person who has to save for two years to make the trip,” cautioned the Austrian.
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For tourists coming from certain countries, Ghana grants “Visa on Arrival”, but they first must apply for it.
“Mind you, this same prospective tourist has the option of The Gambia, where he does not need a visa at all,” a Canadian tour operator pointed out.
Also a major challenge is the cost of flying to Ghana, not to mention what they described as “impossible accommodation rates”.
While Ghanaian officials explained that the fares were determined by the airlines, not the Ghana government, one tour operator pointed out that high air fares to Ghana were also a factor of how many taxes had been slapped on them.
On the accommodation challenge, the research officer at the Ministry of Tourism explained that it was a factor of demand and supply.
“There are not enough of good hotels to accommodate tourists when they come en masse. It’s getting worse now, as oil and gas offer strong competition for investors’ money. These factors make Ghana an expensive destination and so people don’t want to come. Those who do stay for a short time,” the officer said.