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Ghana tourism in 2025 brought more than 1.3 million international visitors into the country, according to figures presented by Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts Minister Abla Dzifa Gomashie on August 10, 2026.
Ghana recorded 1,306,962 international arrivals during the year, up from 1,288,804 in 2024. Domestic visits to monitored tourist attractions also climbed from 1.68 million to 1.79 million, while the number of licensed tourism businesses increased.
There is another side to the numbers. Ghana earned an estimated US$4.34 billion in international tourism receipts in 2025, but that was lower than the approximately US$4.82 billion reported for 2024. More people arrived, but estimated spending per visitor fell.
That makes Ghana’s latest tourism figures a story of growth, but not yet a tourism boom. The country is attracting visitors and building a larger tourism industry. The challenge now is getting visitors to stay longer, spend more money and spread that spending to businesses and communities beyond the best-known destinations.
Ghana’s 2025 Tourism Numbers
Tourism Minister Abla Dzifa Gomashie presented the latest figures during the Government Accountability Series at the Presidency in Accra on August 10.
The headline number was 1,306,962 international arrivals in 2025.
That compares with 1,288,804 arrivals in 2024, an increase of approximately 1.4 percent.
| Tourism Indicator | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| International arrivals | 1,288,804 | 1,306,962 |
| Estimated international tourism receipts | About US$4.82 billion | US$4.34 billion |
| Average international visitor expenditure | US$3,742.98 | US$3,319.90 |
| Domestic site visits | 1.68 million | 1.79 million |
| Licensed tourism enterprises | 6,702 | 7,109 |
The international arrival increase works out to about 18,000 additional visitors over the previous year.
That is positive growth, although modest compared with the wider international tourism recovery. UN Tourism reported that international tourist arrivals worldwide increased approximately four percent in 2025, reaching an estimated 1.52 billion.
Ghana Had More Visitors, but Tourism Receipts Fell
The most important number may not be the 1.3 million arrivals.
It may be US$4.34 billion.
That is the estimated value of Ghana’s international tourism receipts for 2025. It should not be confused with US$4.34 billion in tax revenue collected by the government. Tourism receipts are an estimate of spending associated with international visitors across the wider economy.
According to the Ghana Tourism Authority’s 2025 Tourism Report, receipts declined from about US$4.82 billion in 2024 to US$4.34 billion in 2025.
That is a drop of roughly 10 percent even though international arrivals increased 1.4 percent.
The estimated average expenditure per international visitor also fell from US$3,742.98 in 2024 to US$3,319.90 in 2025, a decline of about 11 percent.
So Ghana attracted slightly more international travelers while generating less estimated spending from them.
There are several possible explanations, including changes in the type of travelers arriving, spending patterns, accommodation choices and how tourism expenditures are measured. The published data does not establish a single cause.
Industry analysts have also called for stronger tourism expenditure data and a more developed Tourism Satellite Account so policymakers can better measure tourism’s direct contribution to Ghana’s economy.
That matters because arrival numbers alone do not tell you how successful a tourism industry is. A traveler who spends two weeks using hotels, restaurants, tour companies and local transportation has a very different economic effect from a traveler who stays with relatives and spends relatively little in the formal tourism economy.
Where Did Ghana’s International Visitors Come From?
The United States remained Ghana’s largest international source market in 2025.
| Source Market | 2025 Arrivals |
|---|---|
| United States | 155,289 |
| Nigeria | 136,552 |
| United Kingdom | 56,588 |
The prominence of the United States is especially relevant to Ghana’s long-running effort to strengthen ties with the African diaspora.
Campaigns such as the Year of Return, Beyond the Return and December in GH have helped position Ghana as a major heritage and cultural destination for Black travelers and members of the African diaspora.
More than 60 percent of Ghana’s international visitors in 2025 were repeat visitors, according to the Tourism Report. First-time visitors represented 38 percent.
That repeat visitation is important. Convincing someone to return to Ghana can be just as valuable as attracting a first-time traveler because repeat visitors already understand the destination and may be more willing to explore areas outside the traditional Accra, Cape Coast and Kumasi tourism routes.
Why Were International Travelers Coming to Ghana?
Tourism was not the only reason foreigners entered Ghana.
Business travel was the largest reported category, accounting for 31 percent of international arrivals.
Visits to friends and relatives represented 23 percent, while holiday and tourism travel accounted for 20 percent.
That mix helps explain why simply describing all 1.3 million arrivals as traditional vacation tourists can be misleading.
A significant share of Ghana’s international visitor economy is connected to business, diaspora families, conferences and personal travel as well as beaches, castles, national parks and festivals.
Visitors stayed an average of 13 nights in Ghana during 2025. Hotels were the accommodation choice for about half of international travelers, while private homes accounted for 28 percent and Airbnb-type accommodations represented 12 percent.
Those numbers point to a tourism market that extends well beyond traditional hotels.
Which Tourist Attractions Were Most Popular in Ghana?
The Tourism Minister said Ghana’s 10 most visited attractions together recorded 1,377,588 visits in 2025, representing almost 77 percent of visits recorded across the country’s monitored tourism sites.
The top 10 were:
- Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park
- Kakum National Park
- Bunso Arboretum/Eco Park
- Cape Coast Castle
- Manhyia Palace
- Kumasi Zoo
- Accra Zoo
- Elmina Castle
- Shai Hills Resource Reserve
- Aburi Botanical Gardens
The Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park alone recorded 302,523 visitors, according to the 2025 Tourism Report. Kakum National Park recorded 203,222 visits and Bunso Arboretum received 149,319.
The list shows just how important heritage and nature tourism remain to Ghana. Independence history, the transatlantic slave trade, traditional kingdoms, wildlife and ecotourism all appear among the country’s strongest tourism products.
Travelers planning a visit can see our broader guide to the top tourist attractions in Ghana.
Ghanaians Are Traveling More Inside Ghana Too
One of the strongest parts of the 2025 numbers is domestic tourism.
Visits to 55 monitored tourist sites increased from approximately 1.68 million in 2024 to 1.79 million in 2025, growth of about seven percent.
Residents accounted for 84 percent of the demand recorded at those sites.
Domestic travel provides a useful cushion for Ghana’s tourism industry because hotels, attractions, restaurants and tour operators do not have to depend entirely on international arrivals.
It also creates opportunities in regions that may not receive large numbers of overseas tourists.
A family traveling from Accra to Cape Coast, a group visiting Kwahu for Easter or residents spending a weekend at a beach resort still generate spending on transportation, food, accommodation and entertainment.
Ghana’s Tourism Industry Is Also Creating More Businesses
The number of licensed tourism enterprises increased from 6,702 in 2024 to 7,109 in 2025, representing growth of approximately 6.1 percent.
Travel trade businesses grew particularly quickly, expanding 18.6 percent. This category includes tour operators, travel agencies, excursion companies and other businesses that help visitors plan and move through Ghana.
The food, beverage and entertainment segment also expanded by 8.2 percent.
This is where the tourism numbers become relevant to entrepreneurs.
A growing visitor economy creates opportunities far beyond opening another hotel. Airport transfers, food tours, heritage tours, event transportation, short-term accommodation management, photography, destination marketing, souvenir businesses, travel planning, restaurant concepts and experiences aimed at diaspora visitors can all participate in tourism spending.
But the decline in average visitor expenditure is also a warning. Ghana needs more tourism businesses that give travelers worthwhile reasons to spend money once they arrive.
That could mean better tours, easier online booking, more professionally operated attractions, nightlife packages, food experiences, regional excursions and higher-quality tourism services.
What Ghana Needs to Do Next
The 1.3 million visitor milestone is worth recognizing, but Ghana’s own numbers show why the next target cannot simply be “more tourists.”
Ghana needs more value from tourism.
The country has historical sites that are globally significant, a large diaspora audience, English as its official language, major cultural festivals, Atlantic beaches, national parks and one of West Africa’s better-known international tourism brands.
Yet international arrivals grew only 1.4 percent in 2025 while estimated tourism receipts fell roughly 10 percent.
The next stage requires turning arrivals into longer stays, stronger regional tourism circuits and more spending with Ghanaian businesses.
That could include making it easier to book attractions online, improving roads and facilities around tourism sites, strengthening service standards, developing destinations outside the traditional tourism corridors and connecting visitors with local businesses.
The government is already pursuing several large tourism initiatives, including efforts to revive the Accra Marine Drive development and expand the Black Star Experience brand.
Those projects will ultimately have to be judged by something more practical than visitor counts: how much sustainable economic activity they create for Ghana.
Ghana brought more than 1.3 million international visitors through its borders in 2025. The harder challenge now is making each visit more valuable to the people and businesses waiting on the other side.
Sources
- Ghana News Agency: Ghana recorded 1.3 million international tourists in 2025 – Tourism Minister – August 10, 2026
- Graphic Online: 1.31 million international tourists visit Ghana in 2025 – Tourism generates $4.34bn – June 13, 2026
- Ghanaian Times: Tourism sector records growth as arrivals hit 1.3m – June 11, 2026
- Ghana Statistical Service: Ghana International Travellers Survey and tourism expenditure data
- UN Tourism: International tourist arrivals increased four percent globally in 2025
- Ghana Tourism Authority
