Tourism trends in Ghana : the accommodation sector

Tourism in Ghana has become a major socioeconomic activity and one of the most important and fastest growing sectors of the Ghanaian economy. It is the fourth largest foreign exchange earner after cocoa, gold, and remittances from abroad. Ghana's tourism growth rate is about 12% per annum. Hence, the importance of tourism and its sociocultural, political, and economic values to Ghana is enormous. The tourism industry has over the years demonstrated its ability to contribute significantly towards national economic development, especially in the areas of employment generation, wealth creation, and poverty reduction at national and community levels. Since independence in 1957, a number of tourism development plans has been drawn up to guide the growth of the industry. Unfortunately, none of these plans has been fully implemented due to unfavorable economic and political environment. Although most sections of Ghana's tourism development plans since independence have not been fully implemented, the tourism sector in Ghana has seen substantial growth. The government is determined to reap the full benefits that the industry offers by putting in place necessary plans, policies, actions, and resources to stimulate guided growth in the sector and ensure that tourism does not become a missed opportunity. This article gives an overview of tourism in Ghana; in particular, the demand and supply trends in the accommodation sector. It also examines the contribution of the accommodation sector to the Ghanaian economy.