Ghana’s growing tourism activity is creating room for more businesses to benefit from visitor spending, and the Eastern Region is using this year’s World Tourism Day celebrations to attract more investment into the sector.
The Eastern Expo, running from September 26 to October 3 in Koforidua, will bring together tourism operators, businesses, exhibitors, investors, and policymakers under the theme “Unlocking Opportunities for Sustainable Trade, Tourism and Investment.”
The event comes after a stronger year for Ghana’s tourism industry. International arrivals rose to 1.31 million in 2025, while domestic tourism visits increased to 1.79 million. International tourism also generated an estimated US$4.34 billion, with the number of licensed tourism enterprises rising to 7,109.
The growth creates opportunities for businesses that operate around tourism, including hotels, restaurants, transport companies, tour operators, retailers and producers of locally made goods.
The Eastern Region has several attractions that could support this wider business activity, including Boti Falls, the Aburi Botanical Gardens, the Kwahu Mountains and attractions around Lake Volta. But turning these sites into stronger commercial destinations will require investment in facilities, services and visitor experiences.
The region already has a sizeable investment base. Data from the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre show that 44 wholly Ghanaian-owned projects worth more than US$1.9 billion were recorded in the region between 1994 and December 2025, alongside foreign-owned projects across sectors including tourism.
The Expo will give businesses an opportunity to put their products and services in front of potential customers and investors, while creating space for partnerships within the tourism value chain.
Technology will also feature in the programme. A September 27 workshop will focus on digitalisation and artificial intelligence in tourism, including how new technologies can change the way destinations are marketed and services are delivered.
The celebration will begin with a health walk on September 26, followed by seminars, exhibitions and networking activities. The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts is also linking the programme to the Black Star Experience as part of efforts to promote Ghana as a tourism destination.
