We made $3.3 Billion from “Year of Return” – Tourism Minister

The Minister said, the increased number of travelers to Ghana positively impacted private sector industries

We made $3.3 Billion from “Year of Return” – Tourism Minister

Ghana raked in a whopping amount of $3,312 billion from its “Year of Return Initiative”, the Minister of Tourism and Culture, Madam Barbara Oteng Gyasi has disclosed.

She said by the end of 2019, the international arrivals reached 1.13 million from 956,372 in the year 2018 which was 27% growth which was above the global average of 5%.

The Minister of Tourism and Culture made these assertions in response to a parliamentary question asked by MP for North Tobgu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on ‘volume of visiting associated with the “Year of Return” initiative and the estimated economic gains to Ghana for 2019 fiscal year’.

Madam Barbara said, the increased number of travelers to Ghana positively impacted private sector industries such as airlines, hotels, tour operators, restaurants, and art & crafts dealers to name a few.

 

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According to the minister, the average expenditure per tourist was $2,391. She said the amount was spent in areas such as accommodation, food, and beverages, shopping, local transport, and entertainment.

She said several hotels announced 100% capacity for the month of December. Art Centre merchants also reported doubling their sales in 2019 compared to 2018.

In terms of expenditure, she said  accommodations at 41% was the highest area of expenditure, followed by food and beverage (21%), shopping (14%), local transport (8%), entertainment (5%) and other spending (11%).

The Year of Return to Ghana Initiative was introduced by the Akufo-Addo government in 2018, aimed at encouraging African diasporans to come specifically to Ghana to settle and invest in the continent.