Domestic Tourism in the Eastern region has increased post-covid-19, according to the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA).
Globally, the tourism sector was negatively affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to widespread health restrictions and limited the ability of people to move across borders for business or leisure travel.
The number of international tourist arrivals worldwide decreased by 74% in 2020 compared to 2019 levels. The decline was as high as 80-90% in developing countries.
The situation in Ghana was comparatively better, with the number of foreign tourists falling by 73%, from 1.3m to 355,000 during the period.
Ghana raked in US$3.3 billion with a total of 1.3 million tourist arrivals by the end of 2019.
To salvage the situation, President Nana Akufo-Addo, on June 1, 2021, officially launched the Domestic and Regional Tourism Campaign designed to stimulate the tourism industry.
The launch held in Accra was under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, the Ghana Tourism Authority, the Ghana Tourism Federation (GHATOF), and other tourism industry players.
The domestic tourism program targeted increasing domestic arrivals to 600,000 by 2022 and one million by 2024.” as said in the president’s speech.
The Eastern Regional Director of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Frederick Agyei Rudolph says domestic tourism has since received a massive boost leading to a significant increase in domestic tourism in the Eastern region compare to the international tourist arrivals.
He said the discoveries of new tourism sites and value addition of existing sites such as Bunso Eco Park are attracting more domestic tourists to the region.
The Bunso Eco-park for instance has recently commissioned the first Commercial Adult Swing at the park in collaboration with GTA.
The Commercial Adult Swing is an initiative of the Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin in collaboration with the Ghana Tourism Authority. It is the first of its kind in Ghana’s tourist sites.
The Facility Manager of the Bunso Eco Park, Mr. Asare Frimpong explained that through the vision of the Ghana Tourism Authority and the Okyenhene, to revamp tourism in the region, they decided to partner with the Bunso Eco Park to come out with a facility which will add value to the park and attract more tourists.
Source: Mybrytnewsroom.com/Obed Ansah
