Ghana Tourism Authority targets over $3 billion in revenue for 2024 with “Beyond the Return” initiative
The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has set an ambitious target for 2024, aiming to generate over $3 billion in revenue from its “Beyond the Return” initiative.
This follows the success of the 2019 “Year of Return,” which brought in approximately GHS 1.9 billion from over 900,000 visitors.
In an interview on Joy News on Wednesday, August 14, GTA CEO Akwesi Agyemang shared that Ghana expects to welcome at least 1.3 million tourists in the latter half of 2024. This projection builds on the nearly 600,000 arrivals recorded in the first half of the year. Agyemang noted that the second half of the year, particularly the final quarter, typically outperforms the first, boosting confidence in surpassing initial expectations.
“We are very hopeful that we will surpass our targets. We’ve also had engagements with organizations in the U.K., which ranks third on our visitor list after Nigeria, to promote Ghana strongly in the U.K. market,” Agyemang stated. “Overall, we anticipate about $3.8 billion coming into the country, and we hope the private sector can capitalize on these developments.”
To prepare for the anticipated influx of tourists, the GTA is overseeing upgrades to key infrastructure. These include the installation of new air conditioning units at the National Theatre. However, renovations at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC) have been delayed due to the lack of parliamentary approval. Despite this setback, the GTA is working closely with venue managers to ensure readiness.
“Although we are not directly in charge, we work very closely with them [National Theatre management] because it’s one of the venues that is almost always booked. Regarding the AICC, I know that the planned work has been put on hold for now due to the lack of parliamentary endorsement,” Agyemang explained.
Mr. Agyemang’s comments highlight Ghana’s strategic focus on tourism as a crucial driver of economic growth, leveraging its rich cultural heritage and international partnerships to attract global visitors.
