Domestic tourism was lowest in the three regions of the North of Ghana in 2015, a report by the Ghana Statistical Service has shown.
Together, the Northern, Upper West and East regions controlled only 12.1 percent of domestic tourism as at 2015.
[contextly_sidebar id=”7rnWBzcKCpIWRAexR8suKJOpwMHv3XBK”]As a result, industry watchers have appealed for intensified efforts to attract more tourists and open up the regions for development.
According to the report, 3,588,086 tourists travelled from one region to another within the year under study.
Of this figure, only 12.1 percent or 434,000 persons travelled to the three regions of the North altogether.
The Upper East region recorded the least number of tourists of 2.1 percent.
It was followed by the Upper West and Northern region which also attracted 2.1 and 7.7 percent of the total number of domestic tourists.
Ashanti Region receives most tourists
The survey, however, revealed that the Ashanti region attracted the highest number of domestic tourists.
The region had as much as 670,972 tourists visiting in 2015.
It was immediately succeeded by Greater Accra and the Eastern regions with 660,207 and 455,686 people visiting respectively.
But what may have accounted for the huge disparity between the North and South?
The Head of Services Statistics at the Ghana Statistical Service Ebenezer Ocran, attempts some explanation.
“It could be due to some of the rich culture of the people of Ashanti…and also there are some interesting tourist sites in the Ashanti region that attracts a lot of people to the region,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the highest number of domestic tourism was also recorded in November.
As much as 24 percent of tourists embarked on their trips around this time of the year.
Mr. Ebenezer Ocran offers suggestions on improving conditions at the various tourist sites especially in the North.
“Majority of the roads to these sites are untarred so if the tourist sites are really developed, then many people will be interested to visit and that will open up the places for development.”
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By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana