Ghana to Invest US$1 Billion in Tourism and Creative Arts to Build Year-Round Visitor Economy

Ghana will invest US$1 billion in tourism, culture, and the creative arts under a sweeping plan to transform the country's heritage sites and creative industries into a year-round economic engine, Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson has announced.

Presenting the 2027 Budget Statement to Parliament on Thursday, November 12, 2026, Dr. Forson said the investment—under Pillar Five of the government's New Economy Programme—aims to move Ghana beyond the seasonal December festivities and establish a sustainable visitor economy spanning all 12 months .

"The Black Star Experience will run through all twelve months," Dr. Forson told Parliament, referring to the government's flagship tourism initiative .

From December to All Year

The strategy represents a deliberate shift away from over-reliance on "December in Ghana," the annual festive season that has drawn thousands of diaspora visitors and global revelers in recent years. While December will remain a major anchor, the government plans to introduce a national events calendar and competitive destination bidding to spread tourism activities across seasons and regions .

Dr. Forson said heritage journeys, ancestry services, family reunions, educational programmes, and creative arts events would provide additional reasons for international visitors to choose Ghana throughout the year .

The minister noted that Ghana possesses "a history that spoke to the world, a culture that continued to shape Africa and a reputation for peace and democratic stability in a region where dependable destinations for meetings, investment and healing were increasingly important" .

A Sector Already Delivering

The US$1 billion commitment builds on tourism figures that show steady growth. International tourist arrivals reached 1,306,962 in 2025, up from 1,288,804 in 2024, generating an estimated US$4.34 billion in revenue, according to the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts . Domestic tourism visits grew seven percent, from 1.68 million to 1.79 million over the same period .

The number of licensed tourism enterprises rose 6.1 percent to 7,109 in 2025, with travel trade enterprises recording the highest growth at 18.6 percent .

The government's broader ambition draws on the legacy of the 2019 "Year of Return," which marked 400 years since the first recorded arrival of enslaved Africans in the Americas and drew a surge of diaspora visitors to Ghana. Tourism expert Prof. Kobby Mensah has noted that international arrivals rose from under 1 million in 2018 to nearly 1.3 million in 2024, with revenues nearly doubling from US$2.7 billion to almost US$5 billion during that period .

Heritage Restoration and Infrastructure

A central component of the plan is the restoration of Ghana's coastal forts and castles, particularly those associated with the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. Dr. Forson said these sites would be managed and presented with "historical accuracy, dignity and care," with investments in museums, archives, multilingual interpretation services, and the training of conservators and tour guides .

The restoration programme will connect heritage sites to improved roads, hotels, public spaces, transport services, and local businesses, extending the economic benefits of tourism beyond major operators to farmers, food suppliers, craftspeople, artists, and transport providers .

In a related move earlier this year, the government announced that Cape Coast and Elmina Castles would open until 10 p.m. under the 24-hour economy initiative, following successful pilot night tours .

Conferences, Hotels, and Medical Tourism

To position Ghana as West Africa's preferred destination for business tourism, SSNIT will construct and operate an ultra-modern international convention centre at the La Trade Fair Centre in Accra. A professional convention bureau will be established in 2027 to attract recurring African and international conferences .

The government will also grant tax incentives to SSNIT to build five-star hotels in Accra and Kumasi by 2030, alongside affordable four-star hotels in the Volta Region, northern Ghana, and the Cape Coast-Elmina heritage corridor .

A new National Theatre in Kumasi is expected to serve as a cultural, performance, conference, and creative industry hub .

The plan also includes a private-sector-led medical tourism component, with a Ghana Medical Tourism Hub linking specialist hospitals, diagnostic centres, rehabilitation facilities, laboratories, pharmacies, and hotels, supported by targeted tax incentives and serviced land .

The Road Ahead

As Parliament begins deliberations on the 2027 Budget, the government's challenge will be translating the US$1 billion commitment into tangible arrivals, longer stays, and higher visitor spending by 2030. The infrastructure—from restored castles to new convention facilities and hotels—will take years to complete, and the success of the year-round strategy depends on whether Ghana can compete with established destinations for international conferences and heritage tourism in an increasingly crowded African market.

For now, Dr. Forson framed the investment as an economic necessity, not merely a cultural one. The benefits, he said, should extend far beyond hotels and major attractions—to the artists, craftspeople, farmers, and transport operators who make Ghana's visitor economy possible .