Ghana unveils 10-year tourism plan

Running under the theme, A Decade of African Renaissance  – 2020-2030, Beyond the Return seeks to consolidate the successes recorded by the Year of Return, which began with a September 2018 declaration by Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo in Washington DC on the 400th anniversary of the first arrival of African slaves in Jamestown, Virginia. The campaign urged Africa’s diaspora community to return to their motherland. 

The pillars include Experience Ghana, Invest in Ghana, Diaspora Pathways to Ghana, Celebrate Ghana, Brand Ghana, Give Back to Ghana and Promote Pan-African Heritage and Innovation. They are expected to expedite the campaign’s mission to highlight Ghana as a global tourism and foreign investment brand. The campaign also wants to shine a spotlight on Ghana's creative economy.

“It is an opportunity that allows for cross-fertilisation of ideas, policy direction and implementation of strategies to make Ghana more attractive as the destination for tourism, trade and investment on the African continent – especially for the African diaspora community,” Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture Barbara Oteng Gyasi said at the campaign’s launch in Accra.

“The African diaspora community dream of returning to Africa and having a home on the continent but are confronted with the uncertainty of which African country they can call home. This sad reality has not stopped Ghana from showing leadership in positioning the country as the homeland for returning diasporans.

Oteng Gyasi said that while developing the pillars, the government had relied on feedback gathered from the diaspora and local communities during the Year of Return. She expressed optimism regarding the tourism and investment opportunities that the new initiative would offer. She added that Ghana was drafting legislation to facilitate migration and integration for the diaspora, including citizenship opportunities.

At the event, Ghanaian Senior Minister Yaw Osafo Marfo called on stakeholders and the campaign's steering committee to play their respective roles towards the success of the initiative.