Despite substantial accommodation capacity, room demand still weakens – GSS report

The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) reported in March to June 2025 that despite the country having ample accommodation capacity, room demand remained low. Out of the 5 million room-nights available monthly, only 1.99 million were occupied, a 7% decrease compared to March's 2.14 million. The national room occupancy rate stood at 40%, ranging from 39.7% in May to 40.0% in June.

Bed occupancy, however, was higher, fluctuating between 46.2% and 49.2%. The report noted that while hotels only occupied about one-third of their rooms, hostels had room occupancy rates up to 96.1%. The Central and Western regions had the highest room occupancy rates, with Central reaching 56.8% in June and Western remaining above 50% throughout the period.

Eastern, Bono East, and North East regions, on the other hand, had occupancy rates below 25%. Domestic guests comprised the majority of demand, with 1.78 million to 1.86 million domestic guests monthly compared to 23,000 to 30,000 foreign guests. The Central Region recorded the most domestic guests, while the Greater Accra Region attracted the most foreign guests.

Foreign guests generally stayed longer, averaging three to nine nights, while domestic guests stayed an average of one to two nights. The report emphasized that while there is substantial capacity, the use of existing capacity varies widely across regions, establishment types, and market segments. This highlights the need for targeted strategies in tourism promotion, capacity expansion, and business decisions.