GHANA: TOURISM DEVELOPMENT PLANS

By Jean Lukaz MIH

Box 1

TOURISM FEASIBILITY STUDIES IN GHANA

UNDP 1973
USAID 1973
FX IMPACT 1973
TOURISM MULTIPLIER EFFECTS
USIESC 1975

Box 2

15 year Tourism Development Plan 1975-1990

Goal:
To guide tourism planning during the period
Targets:
Achieve an annual growth rate of 12.5%
Increase in international tourist arrivals from 64,000 in 1975 to 357,000
per annum by 1990
Increase average length of stay from 4 to 9.4 days
Increase number of hotels from 900 in 1975 to more than 13,000 in 1990
Create 36,000 new direct and indirect jobs annually
Increase foreign exchange earnings at a rate of $58m per annum

Box 3

15 YEAR TOURISM DEVELOPMENT PLAN 1996-2010

Goal:
To transform Ghana into a major tourism destination
Targets:
Increase annual international tourist arrivals from 286,000 in 1995 to
1,062,000 in 2010
Develop Ecotourism based on abundant natural resource attractions
Develop Heritage Tourism based on cultural attractions related to the
slave trade and attract Africans in the Diaspora (USA and Caribbean)
Increase number of beds from 3,420 in 1995 to 11,350 in 2010
Box 4

STRATEGIC ACTION PLAN 2003-2007

Vision:
Realise the Potential of the Tourism Sector in the country's economy by
generating growth of 20% p.a. by the year 2007
Goal:
To Make Ghana a Competitive & Quality Tourism Destination within the
Framework of Respect for the Country's Cultural, historical and Environmental
Heritage.
Purpose:
To Make Ghana A Preferred Destination in Africa by the End of Year 2007
Targets by 2007
Increase Tourism Arrivals to 1 million
Make Tourism the largest Employer after Agriculture & Retailing
Make Tourism the Largest Employer in the Formal Sector + 300,000 jobs
Increase Tourism Forex Earnings from Current US$500m to US$1.5b
Boost domestic tourism
Establish Ghana as the "Homeland” for African in the Diaspora
Challenges
High Cost Destination
Poor Infrastructural Development
Inadequate, untrained human resources
Poor marketing
Law awareness
Lack of Investment
Underdeveloped production

Box 5

GHANA POVERTY REDUCTION STRATEGY II 2006-2009: FOCUS ON TOURISM

Goals:
Effective aggressive promotion of Ghana as a competitive tourist destination
Facilitating the development of modern capital city for the purpose of tourism
and business
Harmonization, standardization and expansion of national tourism training
programs
Creating conducive environment for private sector investment in quality
product development
Facilitating infrastructure development at all major tourist sites
Vigorous promotion of domestic tourism to encourage Ghanaians to appreciate
their national heritage and create wealth for rural communities
Improving the IT based tourism data management and dissemination
Promoting community-based large, medium and small scale enterprises
Improving the coverage of registered and licensed tourism plants
Box 6

GHANA TOURISM INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK: PUBLIC & PRIVATE SECTOR

Main Policy Body

Ministry of Tourism (1993)
Ministry of Tourism & Modernisation of the Capital City (2003)
Ministry of Tourism & Diasporan Relations (2006)

Implementing Agencies
Ghana Tourist Board (GTB)
Hotel, Catering and Tourism Training Institute (HOTCATT)
Ghana Tourism Development Company Ltd (GTDC)

Linked Ministries, Departments & Agencies (MDAs)

Ministry of Lands, Forestry and Mines
Wildlife Division of Forestry Commission
National Commission on Culture
Museums and Monuments Board
Centre for National Culture
Ghana Civil Aviation Authority

Private Sector
Ghana Tourism Federation (GHATOF)

Box 7

TOURISM RELATED ASSISTANCE BY INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES 1973-2006

1973: United Nations Development Program (UNDP) - Feasibility Studies

1973: United States Agency for International Development (USAID) - Feasibility
Studies
1974: Danish Government - 15 year Tourism Development Plan 1975-1990
1995: UNDP/World Tourism Organisation (WTO) - 15 year Tourism Development Plan
1996-2010
2001: USAID/Ghana Tourism-Led Economic Growth Promotion Program **
2002-4: Nederlands Development Organisation (SNV) - Community-Based Ecotourism
Projects (CBEP)
2002-4: Peace Corps (CBEP)
2005: Nederlands Development Organisation (SNV)- Needs Assessment for Capacity
Development (GHATOF)
2005: Nederlands Development Organisation (SNV)- Stakeholders’ Workshop for
Tourism Policy Review 14-15 September
2003-4: USAID/Tourism Capacity Development Initiative (TCDI)-
Marketing and Product Development
Human Resource Development
Institutional Capacity Development
Policy and Regulation Enhancement
Tourism Management Information Systems
2006: Nederlands Development Organisation (SNV)-
Preparation of Land Use Plans for 21 Receptive Facilities
Elmina Tourism Project with European Commission (EC) and Aid to Artisans
2006: European Commission (EC)- Elmina Tourism Project with Nederlands
Development Organisation (SNV)
2006: Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) 2006-8- Tourism
Development Project through Strengthening Public-Private Partnership