News
Black Star Experience is not same as Year of Return
Ghana’s tourism and creative economy continue to experience renewed growth as government strengthens efforts to position the country as Africa’s leading cultural and heritage destination.
While many still associate Ghana’s global tourism success
with the landmark Year of Return campaign of 2019, it is important to understand that the country has since moved into a new phase of sector growth under the Black Star Experience, a broader and forward-looking national programme being
advanced under the leadership of President John Dramani Mahama.
Over the past year, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts and its agencies have intensified efforts to grow the sector positively, creating renewed momentum across tourism, arts, and the creative industries.
These efforts form part of the Mahama administration’s wider commitment to reposition tourism and
culture as key drivers of economic growth, job creation, and global engagement.
Under President Mahama’s leadership, tourism and the creative arts have regained prominence as strategic pillars for national development.
Government’s renewed focus has provided stronger coordination across agencies, boosted stakeholder
confidence, and created fresh opportunities for creatives, event promoters, tourism operators, and investors within the sector.
At the ministerial level, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, has been working to strengthen Ghana’s cultural ecosystem and tourism value chain through the various agencies under the ministry.
The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Ghana’s primary tourism marketing agency, has also continued to record notable progress in destination promotion and stakeholder
engagement.
Under the leadership of Mrs. Maame Efua Sekyi-Aidoo Houadjeto, the
Authority has sustained campaigns and partnerships that keep Ghana visible in competitive tourism markets while supporting industry players to raise service and product standards.
Understanding the difference between Ghana’s flagship tourism initiatives is
therefore important. The Year of Return was a commemorative campaign marking 400 years since the first enslaved Africans were taken to the Americas.
It invited the African diaspora, particularly African Americans and Afro-Caribbeans, to reconnect with their ancestral homeland.
The initiative resonated globally, drawing record visitor arrivals and creating powerful emotional and economic connections.
The Black Star Experience, however, represents a more expansive and sustainable national agenda. Rather than being tied to a single commemorative year, it is
structured as a long-term programme designed to position Ghana as the Cultural Capital of Africa, offering year-round cultural, entertainment, heritage, and creative experiences.
While the Year of Return focused on historical reconnection, the Black Star
Experience looks ahead, promoting Ghana’s living culture, contemporary creative industries, festivals, music, film, cuisine, fashion, and lifestyle experiences to both global and continental audiences.
A key strength of the current approach under the Mahama administration is the emphasis on sustainability and inclusiveness.
The Black Star Experience aims to
ensure that tourism benefits extend beyond Accra to communities and heritage destinations nationwide, creating jobs and economic opportunities across regions.
In essence, the Year of Return reopened the door between Ghana and the global African diaspora.
The Black Star Experience now expands that journey, inviting the
world not only to return, but to continually experience Ghana’s culture, creativity, and hospitality.
As Ghana builds on the progress made over recent years, the renewed energy and direction under President John Dramani Mahama signal a promising chapter for tourism and the creative economy, one that seeks to transform Ghana from a moment of global attention into a permanent destination of cultural excellence, investment opportunity, and shared prosperity.
Edward Boafo Owusu
Programs Lead,
Black Star Experience Secretariat
The Ghana Tourism Development Company, GTDC, under the leadership of Prof.Kobby Mensah has launched GTDC Campus Tourism Office at the University of Ghana.
The initiative aims to promote educational and domestic tourism by providing structured campus tour experiences showcasing key heritage sites, including the Archaeology Museum and the School of Performing Arts.
It will also offer students their first travel experience across the continent and inculcate in them love to visit Ghana’s heritage sites.
Addressing the gathering at the launch yesterday, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, described tourism as a vehicle for education and heritage preservation, stressing that the sector must inspire citizens to value and protect national culture for future generations.
The minister highlighted tourism’s connection to disciplines such as history, the arts, economics and environmental science.
The minister further noted that the private sector is the engine of tourism economy, adding that the engines require fuel, which is talents.” by investing in these young people today, you are securing the quality, the innovation and competitiveness of our own industry for tomorrow.
She added that the establishment of the office represents a deliberate investment in the intellectual capital of the country.
The GTDC boss, Prof.Kobby Mensah, said,”at GTDC, we believe that if our tourism has to be sustainable, we have to promote domestic tourism and a very big part of it is getting students to appreciate tourism and helping them to organise tours.”
He added that the University of Ghana itself is a huge heritage site which must be explored.
Prof.Kobby Mensah noted that the initiative, which is one of many to be established across the country, is a joint partnership between GTDC and University of Ghana.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof.Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, said the University is a custodian of heritage which goes beyond the structures and welcomed the establishment of the first Campus Tourism Office.
She was optimistic that the office would be put to good use to achieve the intended purpose.
The launch brought together Stakeholders reaffirming their commitment to nurturing future tourism and hospitality professionals.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Ghana has officially accepted an invitation to serve as Guest Country at Burkina Faso’s 22nd National Culture Week in Bobo-Dioulasso from April 22 to May 2, 2026.
The invitation was extended by Burkina Faso’s Minister of Communication, Culture, Arts and Tourism, Gilbert Noël Ouédraogo, accompanied by the Ambassador of Burkina Faso to Ghana, H.E. David Kabré.
Receiving the delegation, Abla Dzifa Gomashie reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to deepening cultural diplomacy and strengthening historic ties between the two nations.
She noted that the festival will create opportunities for young creatives, expand exhibition platforms and promote commercial exchange within the creative sector.
The event will feature cultural performances, a community village and gastronomy fair, an arts market, literary engagements, and a craft and trade fair.
Ghana’s participation is expected to further strengthen bilateral relations between John Dramani Mahama and Ibrahim Traoré, while fostering collaboration within the creative ecosystems of both countries.
