Ghana’s tourism sector generated an estimated GH¢4.34 billion in revenue from 1,303,962 international tourist arrivals in 2025, marking a steady increase from the 1,288,804 arrivals recorded the previous year, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has disclosed.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, August 10, Gomashie said domestic tourism also recorded significant growth, with visits rising by seven per cent from approximately 1.68 million in 2024 to 1.79 million in 2025.
Mixed performance beneath the headline figures
While arrivals climbed modestly—a 1.4 per cent increase—tourism receipts declined from $4.82 billion in 2024, largely due to lower average visitor spending. The data reflects what analysts describe as a “reset” year for the sector, following the post-pandemic recovery and global attention garnered by Ghana’s “December in GH” campaign.
According to the Ghana Tourism Authority’s 2025 Tourism Report, business travel remains the single biggest driver of international arrivals, accounting for 31 per cent of all inbound travel. Visiting family and friends follows at 23 per cent, while leisure tourism represents just 11 per cent and holidays nine per cent. The typical international visitor is highly educated—79 per cent hold tertiary qualifications—and professionally accomplished, with 69 per cent being executives or professional travellers.
Top attractions draw 1.38 million visits
Ghana’s ten most visited tourist attractions collectively attracted 1,377,588 visitors in 2025, accounting for approximately 77 per cent of all domestic tourism site visits recorded nationwide.
The Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park retained its position as the country’s most visited attraction for the second consecutive year, recording 302,523 visitors. Kakum National Park followed with 203,222 visitors, while Bunso Arboretum secured third place with 149,319 visits. Cape Coast Castle and Manhyia Palace Museum rounded out the top five with 141,523 and 120,328 visitors respectively.
Other attractions in the top ten included the Kumasi Zoo, Accra Zoo, Elmina Castle, Shai Hills Resource Reserve and Aburi Botanical Gardens.
Gomashie noted that only three of the ten most visited attractions fall directly under the Ministry’s management, with the remainder overseen by other institutions—a situation she said underscores the need for stronger coordination and continued investment.
Sector expansion and new initiatives
The licensed tourism enterprises sector grew by 6.1 per cent, from 6,702 in 2024 to 7,109 in 2025. Travel trade enterprises recorded the highest growth, increasing by 18.6 per cent from 678 to 804.
The Ministry introduced “Accra by Night,” a structured night tourism initiative aimed at extending tourism activities beyond daytime hours and supporting restaurants, artists, transport operators and small businesses as part of the Government’s 24-hour economy agenda. The Ghana Tourism Marketplace, a digital platform for booking verified tourism experiences, recorded strong uptake during the December 2025 festive season, with “Accra by Night” accounting for approximately 93 per cent of total platform revenue.
Cultural and heritage developments
Gomashie announced steps toward establishing a Creative Arts Fund, with modalities being finalised in collaboration with the Attorney-General’s Ministry. The fund is expected to stimulate production, improve content quality, create jobs and strengthen the protection and commercial value of Ghanaian intellectual property.
She also disclosed that the National Theatre of Ghana now has a strategic plan covering 2026 to 2030, launched in March 2026 to guide the facility’s development. A German theatre group has donated a 40-foot container of lighting and sound equipment to support the theatre’s technical capacity.
Other completed projects include the reopening of the Nationalism Park following the resolution of long-standing power challenges, the completion of the Tano Boase Sacred Grove Project, and improved governance structures at heritage sites such as the Anomabu Garden of Return and Tetteh Quarshie Cocoa Farm.
Future outlook
Gomashie said the various interventions form part of broader government efforts to position tourism as a stronger contributor to jobs, revenue generation and economic growth. The Ministry is pursuing an agenda that includes a 50 per cent increase in tourism revenue, a 70 per cent rise in international visitor arrivals, and a 40 per cent growth in revenue from the creative arts industry.
