{
  "id": 8883773,
  "title": "Are we marketing Ghana before fixing the experience? A hard question for our tourism ambition",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/21/are-we-marketing-ghana-before-fixing-the-experience-a-hard-question",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-21T08:54:32.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "MyJoyOnline Ghana",
    "slug": "myjoyonline-ghana",
    "url": "https://www.myjoyonline.com/are-we-marketing-ghana-before-fixing-the-experience-a-hard-question-for-our-tourism-ambition/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ghana is poised to gain considerable global exposure through a partnership with Sunderland Football Club, which will showcase \"Visit Ghana\" on the club's jerseys during the 2026/27 English Premier League season. This marketing opportunity presents millions of football fans worldwide with the chance to see Ghana promoted. However, the question remains: What happens after the tourist decides to visit Ghana? This is where our conversation about the tourism experience must become more serious.\n\nGhana has seen an increase in international tourist arrivals, with 1,306,962 visitors in 2025 compared to 1,288,804 in 2024. Tourism revenue also grew to approximately US$4.34 billion. The number of licensed tourism enterprises rose from 6,702 to 7,109, and accommodation enterprises grew from 5,210 to 5,424. Travel-trade enterprises expanded by 18.6%. These figures indicate progress, but complacency is unwarranted. Our goal should be to ensure visitors spend more time in Ghana, spend more money, explore beyond Accra, return, and recommend the country to others.\n\nThe true value that tourists seek is not merely a hotel room; they purchase an experience. When planning visits, they consider accommodation, transportation, airport transfers, restaurants, internet connectivity, electricity reliability, tourist attractions, guides, security, customer service, shopping, entertainment, beaches, cultural experiences, and convenience. All these elements contribute to the overall experience and the perceived value of their visit.\n\nThe high cost of accommodation in Ghana often stems from various factors such as land costs, utility expenses, financing, taxes, and regulatory requirements. These factors eventually find their way into the room rate, making the experience less competitive. The Ghana Tourism Federation has expressed concerns about the multiple taxes and levies that tourism businesses face, with some estimates suggesting as many as 20 different taxes and levies from various institutions. Additionally, the tourism development planning documents highlight that rising operational costs can reduce the profitability of tourism businesses.\n\nSo, the question should not be \"Why are Ghanaian hotels expensive?\" but rather, \"Why does it cost so much to deliver hospitality in Ghana?\" Addressing this issue requires identifying the major cost drivers affecting accommodation and determining which of these costs can realistically be reduced without compromising quality. A genuine tourism cost-competitiveness program should be established by the government, the Ghana Tourism Authority, hotel associations, and private-sector operators. By working together, they can pinpoint which costs can be reduced without sacrificing the quality of the tourist experience. This approach will help create a more competitive operating environment for the tourism industry in Ghana.",
  "summary": "Ghana is about to receive something many African countries would gladly pay millions to achieve: global visibility in one of the world's biggest sporting and entertainment ecosystems. The Visit Ghana partnership with Sunderland Football Club, which will place “Visit Ghana” prominently on Sunderland’s shirts during the 2026/27 English Premier League season, is an ambitious marketing opportunity.…",
  "key_points": [
    "Sunderland FC promotes Ghana globally via jerseys.",
    "Ghana tourism arrivals rose 1.6% to 1.31 million in 2025.",
    "High accommodation costs stem from multiple taxes and levies."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}