A recent report on Tourism in Ghana for the year 2023 has revealed some interesting insights about the perception of the country as a tourist destination.
According to the report by the Ghana Tourism Authority, a significant number of tourists who visited Ghana during last year’s December in Ghana (DiGH) rated the country as an expensive destination. Out of 961 participants, 44.62 percent considered Ghana to be expensive, while 34.49 percent found it to be normal in terms of cost. On the other hand, 20.88 percent of the participants believed that Ghana was not expensive as a tourist destination.
Specifically, tourists from the US, UK, Nigeria, and domestic Ghana shared their views on the cost of visiting Ghana. A total of 7.85% of these tourists considered the country to be very expensive, while 36.13% rated it as expensive. In contrast, 15.71% of the same group found Ghana to be less expensive, and 18.38% stated that it was not an expensive destination.
The report also highlighted the occupancy rates of different hotel categories in Accra. 5-star hotels in Accra saw a significant increase in occupancy, reaching 71% in 2023 from a low of 31% in 2020. Similarly, four-star hotels experienced an increase in occupancy from 38% in 2020 to 50% in 2023, falling short of the pre-COVID level of 59%. Additionally, three-star hotels observed a remarkable recovery with occupancy levels rising from 18% in 2021 to 55% in 2023.
Despite the perception of Ghana as an expensive destination, the report projected that the tourism sector would generate an estimated revenue of $3.8 billion in 2023, marking a significant 51.9% increase from the previous year. International tourist arrivals in the country also saw a 25% increase in 2023, with US nationals being the largest group, followed by Ghanaians residing abroad, the UK, Nigeria, Germany, and South Africa.
Looking ahead, Ghana aims to increase foreign visitor numbers to almost two million in 2024, up from the 1.1 million reported in the previous year. This goal aligns with the country’s efforts to position itself as a top tourist destination in Africa.
