Ghana’s tourism industry, after the COVID-19 pandemic, is gradually becoming one of the country’s most resilient job creators.
Interestingly, the growth of the sector is not only powered by foreigners, but by Ghanaians taking the major part of the expenditure.
According to the World Bank’s Africa Pulse Report released in October 2025, tourism directly employed 370,000 people in Ghana in 2024. This, the report says, represents about 2.5% of the national workforce.
When the broader value chain and consumption effects are factored in, the figure rises to an impressive 813,000 jobs.
But the real story lies in who’s driving this growth. The report reveals that 61 percent of all tourism spending in Ghana came from locals. This, the World Bank says, is in stark contrast to countries like Tanzania, whose tourism sectors depend heavily on international visitors.
“In 2024, tourism directly employed 370,000 people in Ghana (2.5 percent of the workforce), expanding to 813,000 when value chain and consumption effects are included. Here, the multiplier is weaker at 1.2, but the domestic market drives resilience: 61 percent of spending came from Ghanaians themselves, compared to Tanzania’s heavy reliance on international visitors,” parts of the Africa Pulse report indicated.
The spike in locals’ activities in the sector means more Ghanaians are discovering their own country. More Ghanaians are visiting heritage sites, exploring eco-tourism destinations, and attending events that celebrate Ghanaian culture, music, and food.
From the nightlife of Osu to the serene beaches of Elmina and the historic castle of Cape Coast, domestic tourism has become both a passion and a powerful economic engine.
Development analysts say this growing local participation is what makes Ghana’s tourism industry uniquely resilient. The experts say that when locals spend on travel, hospitality, and leisure, it keeps money circulating within the economy, and this boosts the businesses of hotels, transport operators, artisans, farmers, and everyone in the value chain.
Although the World Bank’s report also highlights that while Ghana’s tourism multiplier effect, which measures how tourism spending ripples through the economy, is modest at 1.2, its strong domestic base provides stability even when global travel slows down.
Now that the sector is showing such potential, experts and advocates believe targeted investments in infrastructure, digital marketing, and regional attractions could turn domestic tourism into a major growth pillar.
