Domestic Tourism Spending Hits GH¢6.59bn in 2023 – GSS

By Praisebell Rosemond Larbi

Ghana’s domestic tourism sector generated a total of GH¢6.59 billion in expenditure in 2023, underpinned by strong same-day and overnight travel, according to the Domestic and Outbound Tourism Survey (DOTS) fact sheet released by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).

The survey recorded 15,388,978 domestic tourist visits during the year, reinforcing domestic travel as a major pillar of Ghana’s tourism economy and a growing source of income for households, transport operators, accommodation providers and local businesses nationwide.

DOTS forms a critical component of Ghana’s tourism planning framework and provides the empirical foundation for the Tourism Satellite Account (TSA), which measures tourism’s contribution to the wider economy. Government Statistician Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu said the survey offers credible evidence to guide policy formulation and investment decisions.

“The Domestic and Outbound Tourism Survey provides the statistical backbone for understanding how Ghanaians travel, spend and engage in tourism. These insights are essential for effective planning and for strengthening the Tourism Satellite Account,” Dr. Iddrisu noted.

He added that the survey aligns Ghana’s tourism statistics with international standards and supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to economic growth, employment and sustainable communities.

Same-day and overnight travel drive spending

In 2023, Ghana recorded 6.6 million domestic same-day visitors and 8.8 million domestic overnight visitors. Same-day travel generated an estimated GH¢1.83 billion in expenditure, while overnight visitors spent approximately GH¢4.76 billion, underscoring the higher economic value associated with longer stays.

Social travel remained the dominant motive for domestic tourism. Across all quarters, nearly 70 per cent of same-day trips were undertaken to visit friends and relatives, with at least 29 per cent linked to funerals. For overnight travel, more than 80 per cent of trips were for visiting friends and relatives, while funerals accounted for at least 39.7 per cent.

Regional concentration persists

Travel activity continued to be heavily concentrated in southern Ghana. The Ashanti Region and Greater Accra Region emerged as the leading destinations, each recording over 300,000 same-day visitors per quarter. The two regions also attracted more than 250,000 overnight visitors per quarter, reflecting their population size, economic activity and relatively stronger infrastructure.

Dr. Iddrisu said the findings highlight the need to integrate domestic tourism data more deliberately into national and regional development planning.

“By aligning DOTS with global statistical frameworks, Ghana is positioning tourism as a measurable and accountable contributor to economic growth,” he said.

Policy focus on value capture

While domestic tourism performance remains strong, the GSS stressed that the next priority is to organise the sector more effectively to ensure greater value capture at the community level. Key policy recommendations include improving road quality and transport services along major travel corridors, supporting festivals and heritage attractions, integrating tourism data into regional planning and SME support programs, and developing affordable travel products for self-arranged domestic tourists. According to the Service, strengthening community-based tourism and building local capacity will be critical to spreading tourism benefits more evenly across the country and sustaining growth in domestic travel over the medium term.