Chief of Staff calls for stronger collaboration to boost tourism sector

The Chief of Staff, Dr Julius Debrah, has called for stronger collaboration between government and industry stakeholders to unlock the full potential of Ghana's tourism sector.

Speaking on behalf of the President at a High-Level Stakeholder Consultative Meeting on Wednesday in Accra, Dr Debrah said innovation and effective storytelling must become central to Ghana's tourism agenda if the country is to attract more visitors and compete with leading tourism destinations.

He noted that successful tourism destinations are built on compelling narratives that capture the interest of travellers and encourage them to visit.

"If you don't tell a story very well, no one knows. Innovation must lead our tourism agenda if we are to capture the attention of potential tourists and grow visitor inflows," he said.

Dr Debrah urged stakeholders to develop creative, market-driven tourism products and to work closely with government institutions to increase Ghana's visibility in the global tourism market.

The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Madam Abla Dzifa Gomashie, affirmed the ministry’s commitment to making tourism, culture and the creative arts stronger contributors to economic growth, employment and national development through its "domestic first, global next" strategy.

She said the Ministry had launched the Ghana National Cultural Policy, introduced the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators Programme and developed Ghana's first Tourism Satellite Account.

She also highlighted efforts to preserve Ghana's cultural heritage following the inscription of Highlife music, dance and Kente on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Madam Gomashie outlined initiatives including the Afro Gastro Festival, National Photo Competition, Ghana Tourism Marketplace, Ghana Tourism Investment Platform and Akwaaba Night. She encouraged greater private sector investment in tourism training and skills development.

She announced that Ghana had won the bid to host the 70th Session of the UN Tourism Commission for Africa in 2027, which will coincide with the country's 70th Independence Anniversary celebrations.