Forward march to tourism lift-off in Ghana

The social and recreating scene in Ghana for Ghanaians is not apparent because the fullest opportunity for its presence is quite non-existent.

Funerals, roadside drinking spots chop bars and/or fast-food eateries are the present options that must-do for a Ghanaian’s pastime.

Some festivities for locally-placed kinfolk do exist, for example, Fetu Afahye Festival of Cape Coast, as do social occasions, like the paragliding festival in Kwahu, held during Easter, hold sway for locals and nationals.

Parallel to this, is how regretful the Northern reaches of Ghana remain sight unseen to the nation’s southern inhabitants. It is like how Londoners and residents of the British Isles see, sight unseen as well, their northern folk and territories.

Ghana side, things are changing, but not spiritedly – it used to be that Ghanaians only ate koose, waakye and ‘Hausa’ koko. Now they have added tuo zaafi but have not gone on to add anything else to what they could avail their taste buds.

Tubaani and guinea fowl, and all other sorts of food—some which are known but remain unfamiliar—are relegated to being a non-choice, an oddity, come mealtime.

The fuller to fullest integration of Northerners has been evidenced by the two vying candidates for the presidency being of Ghana’s northern territories and its heritages.

The potential to open up those regions for local tourism, and further to that foreign visitors to Ghana, is limitless, above and beyond a select pioneering venture like Mole National Park and the meagre novelty of the Paga Crocodile Pond in the upper east reaches of Ghana.

Ghana’s tourism potential has no present competitors. Only those would want to wrestle away that potential into the future could stymie this cache-in-waiting opportunity for Ghana and Ghanaians.

Ghana’s tourism circuit is working and could work a lot better given the concerted effort.

Currently, Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa have a lock on the organized safari tour market as does Ethiopia and Egypt on the heritage market.

Their sorts of tourism are pedestrian and guided whereas the tourism of Ghana is activity and event-based, and within a safer environment at that, especially compared to South Africa’s, perennially, and, currently, to that of Ethiopia.

These aforementioned countries’ tourism sectors centre on “bush” ‘meets’. Ghana’s tourism crest centres on the hearts and souls of its indigenes and their kin – Diasporans.

Lastly, the national cathedral in Ghana needs new talking points because as an idea, and if made devoid of political gamesmanship, it remains a smart idea, as Notre Dame ultimately became an ever so smart idea for France. As a Basilica, it remains practically the domain of the Pope and Catholics, as does the Basilica in Ivory Coast.

Therefore, for the latter, it will literally remain as a white elephant. A competitor to what Ghana could realize, Felix’s trophy is not! Ghana’s national chapel will be a practising space of faith and belief observations for its nationals and visitors.

There are several ideas detailing tourism strategies for Ghana—upcoming in the print format of the  Daily Graphic—which would require the keen attention, full consideration and robust determination of Ghanaians and their leaders to make them a reality.

Concerted due diligence and project capture actions should be the next steps regarding this forthcoming ‘ideascape’ for tourism in Ghana.

Earmarked and pinpointed tourism strategising for Ghana, thus, begs for a seed planting; now!