Accra: Ghana's tourism performance released by Madam Abla Dzifa Gomashie, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts shows that the country welcomed 1,306,962 international tourists in 2025, which is an increase over the 2024 figure of 1,288,804. The total revenue generated from the arrivals in 2025 was $4.34 billion.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Minister noted that domestic tourism grew from 1.68 million visits in 2024 to 1.79 million visits in 2025, representing a seven per cent growth. Madam Gomashie made this known on Monday, when she took her turn at the Government Accountability Press Conference Series held at the Presidency in Accra. The engagement was to account to the people of Ghana for the performance of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts and its support for jobs, economic growth, and national identity, as well as to share the outlook.
The Minister further stated that the 10 most visited attractions in Ghana combined to draw 1,377,588 visitors in 2025, which accounted for almost 77 per cent of all domestic tourism site visits nationwide. These sites included Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, Kakum National Park, Bonsu Arboretum/Eco Park, Cape Coast Castle, Manhyia Palace, Kumasi Zoo, Accra Zoo, Elmina Castle, Shai Hills Resource Reserve, and Aburi Botanical Gardens.
She highlighted that the average total workforce of star-rated hotels in Ghana was now 101 staff per hotel, with 80 full-time staff (39 males and 41 females) and 21 temporary staff (12 males and 9 females). Licensed tourism enterprises have grown from 6,702 in 2024 to 7,109, achieving a 6.1 per cent growth in 2025.
The Minister emphasized the importance of the expansion in travel trade enterprises, which recorded an 18.6 per cent growth, suggesting growth in the ecosystem of tour operators, travel agencies, destination services, excursion businesses, and tourism intermediaries promoting job creation and employment.
She pointed out that tourism, culture, and the creative arts make significant contributions to the economy of Ghana by generating income, creating employment, and promoting the country's identity globally. Tourism attracts visitors to Ghana's historical sites such as Cape Coast and Elmina Castles, national parks, beaches, and vibrant festivals, bringing in foreign exchange and supporting businesses like hotels, restaurants, and transport services.
Madam Gomashie reiterated that culture and creative arts, including music, film, fashion, crafts, dance, and traditional festivals, stimulate economic activity by providing jobs for artists, designers, performers, and artisans. Ghana's film industry, highlife, and Afrobeat music, along with locally made textiles like kente, fugu, and Ankara, have gained international recognition, increasing exports and cultural tourism.
Finally, she concluded that together, tourism, culture, and the creative arts promote entrepreneurship, preserve Ghana's heritage, and contribute significantly to national development and economic growth.