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Tourism sector bags $3.312bn from “Year of Return initiative – Tourism Ministry
Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister, Barbara Oteng-Gyasi, has stated that the tourism sector as a result of the ‘Year of Return’ initiative has recorded US$3.312 billion in revenue.
“Mr Speaker, by the end of the year [2019], international arrivals reached 1.13 million from 956,372 in 2018; [representing] a 27 per cent growth which was above the global average of five per cent.
“The average expenditure per tourist increased from US$2,708 in 2018 to US$2,931 in 2019.
“The receipt attributed to tourism is therefore US$3.312 billion,” Mrs Oteng-Gyasi, the Member of Parliament for Prestea/Huni-Valley indicated in Parliament in Accra yesterday.
She was responding to a question asked by North Tongu Member, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa who sought to know the volume of visitors associated with the Year of Return initiative and its estimated economic impact on the country in the year 2019.
Mrs Oteng-Gyasi said the increased number of travellers to Ghana positively impacted private sector industries including airline companies, hotels, tour operators, restaurants, arts and craft dealers.
As result of the arrivals, she said several hotels in December announced 100 per cent occupancy in the month of December with arts centre merchants doubling their sales.
“In terms of expenditure areas, accommodation, at 41 per cent, was the highest area of expenditure, followed by food and beverages at 21 per cent, shopping at 14 per cent, local transportation at eight per cent, entertainment at five per cent and other spending at 11 per cent.”
Ghana, she reported, became the beacon of the new narrative and was hailed by many as showing leadership leading to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo being honoured by the African Union for the initiative.
During the period, she told the House that 126 diasporans were granted Ghanaian citizenship.
In addition to the economic impact, social such as schools, boreholes, and ICT centres in some selected communities across the countries have become legacies of the year of return, she said.
The minister estimated the media mileage to be in the millions of the U.S dollars with both local and international media organisations dedicating editorial spaces to the initiative.
“Me Speaker, the advertising value equivalence is estimated at US$3.5 million.
“The coverage on the year of return has changed the narrative about Africa and branded Ghana as the gateway to Africa and one of the top tourism and repatriation destinations in the world,” she stated.
To build on the success of the Year of Return, Mrs Oteng-Gyasi said ‘Beyond the Return’ a follow up initiative as initiated would be pursued to boost Ghana’s tourism industry.
BY JULIUS YAO PETETSI
The Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President has hosted a delegation of African diaspora women who are in Ghana ahead of a planned Presidential Conferment of Citizenship ceremony.
The Director of Diaspora Affairs, Kofi Okyere Darko, explained in a Facebook post that the visit was a gesture of appreciation by the delegation to the Government of Ghana for its continued efforts to reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral homeland.
He indicated that the ceremony, scheduled for next Monday, will officially grant Ghanaian citizenship to members of the delegation as part of the country’s broader engagement with the African diaspora.
The delegation was led by Erica Bennett, Founder of the Diaspora Africa Forum.
According to Mr Okyere Darko, her years of advocacy have played an important role in strengthening ties between Africa and people of African descent living abroad.
He noted that the group’s journey towards citizenship represents not only a legal process but also a cultural and spiritual return to their roots.
Also present at the meeting was Natalie Jackson, an attorney who is also expected to receive Ghanaian citizenship during the ceremony. She works closely with renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
Mr Okyere Darko emphasised that Ghana remains committed to strengthening relationships with the African diaspora and promoting unity, identity, and shared heritage among people of African descent worldwide.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana has signed a debt restructuring agreement with the Kingdom of Belgium as part of efforts to restore the country’s economic stability after the financial crisis that hit the nation in 2022 and 2023.
The Minister of Finance, Cassiel Ato Forson, today disclosed that he signed the agreement on behalf of the Government of Ghana.
He explained that Ghana experienced a very difficult period during the crisis, which forced the government at the time to declare a debt default.
However, he indicated that the country is now recovering and witnessing a significant economic turnaround.
According to him, stronger systems are also being put in place to ensure that Ghana does not return to such a situation again.
Dr Forson noted that the agreement with Belgium is the eighth deal Ghana has concluded with countries under the Official Creditor Committee as part of its external debt restructuring programme.
He expressed appreciation to the Government of Belgium for its support and partnership with Ghana during the process.
The Finance Minister thanked Carole van Eyll, Ambassador of Belgium to Ghana, for her role in strengthening relations between the two countries.
The agreement forms part of Ghana’s broader effort to restructure its external debts and stabilise the economy following the crisis.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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