British Council, Tourism Ministry collaborate to boost Ghana’s arts and cultural heritage

The British Council has paid a working visit to Ghana’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture in a strategic move to explore areas of collaboration aimed at promoting the country’s rich cultural heritage and strengthening its creative economy.

The visit was led by international development expert Nii Doodo Dodoo and featured in-depth discussions on leveraging tourism and the arts as critical drivers of national development.

Welcoming the delegation, the Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, expressed gratitude to the British Council for its longstanding contributions to the advancement of arts and culture in Ghana. She highlighted the organisation’s over 80 years of consistent engagement in the country, particularly in the creative sector.

The Minister emphasized the urgent need for investment in under-supported aspects of Ghana’s cultural heritage, including gastronomy, crafts, traditional dance, and painting. She noted that these areas, though rich in potential, have not received the financial and structural support necessary for global recognition.

“Ghana does not lack talent, but we require the correct training to make our creatives marketable and competitive on the world stage,” she stated.

The Minister also underscored the need for capacity building within the tourism sector, particularly in the professionalization of tour guides. She called for improved training to ensure that the narratives of Ghana’s history and cultural identity are communicated accurately and engagingly to both local and international visitors.

Describing the visit as both a personal and professional “homecoming,” Mr. Dodoo recounted his early days working as a tour guide in Ghana and expressed a deep connection to the country’s tourism development. He reaffirmed the British Council’s commitment to contributing meaningfully to Ghana’s cultural and creative sectors.

“In the UK, tourism contributes close to 16 billion pounds annually, employing around one million people. There are immense lessons Ghana can take from such a model,” he stated.

One of the highlights of the engagement was the British Council’s expression of interest in Ghana’s Black Star Experience initiative, which aims to reframe and project the nation’s cultural narrative. Mr. Dodoo and his team commended the project and pledged to support its growth through strategic collaborations.