Ghanaians spent a staggering GH¢4 billion traveling outside the country in 2023, with the vast majority of that money flowing into neighboring West African economies, according to newly released data from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).
The expenditure came from 470,806 outbound visitors recorded during the year, split between 77,501 same-day travelers who spent GH¢59.8 million and 393,305 overnight visitors who accounted for GH¢3.4 billion in spending. The figures underscore how much money leaves Ghana’s economy through cross-border travel, raising questions about how the country can retain more of that spending domestically.
Government Statistician Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu presented the findings Thursday during the official release of the 2023 Domestic and Outbound Tourism Survey Reports. The data provides Ghana’s first comprehensive baseline measurement of outbound tourism patterns and will feed into the country’s inaugural Tourism Satellite Account, a tool designed to quantify tourism’s actual contribution to national GDP.
The survey revealed stark differences in travel purposes between same-day and overnight visitors. Business and professional travel dominated same-day trips, accounting for roughly 34 percent, while funeral-related travel followed at 23 percent. Among overnight travelers, visiting friends and relatives remained the primary reason, representing about 40 percent of all outbound trips.
Regionally, the Ashanti Region recorded the highest number of same-day outbound visitors throughout 2023, ranging between 3,000 and 5,000 per quarter. Greater Accra Region led in overnight travelers, averaging 30,000 to 50,000 quarterly departures. Most journeys stayed within West Africa, with Togo emerging as the top destination for same-day visitors and recording the highest spending of GH¢12.8 million in the first quarter alone.
What stands out in the data is how informal Ghana’s outbound tourism sector remains. Self-arranged trips accounted for almost 90 percent of total expenditure among overnight travelers, with limited engagement of professional tour agencies. This pattern suggests most Ghanaians are planning and booking international travel themselves rather than working through tour operators, which limits opportunities for local businesses to capture portions of that spending.
On-trip expenses, including accommodation, food, transport, and shopping, constituted the largest share of spending in both categories. The second quarter of 2023 saw the highest overall expenditure, totaling GH¢921.5 million, though the report doesn’t specify what drove that peak.
West Africa accounted for the largest share of outbound overnight travels across all quarters, peaking in the first quarter at 73,069 trips, with regional mobility within ECOWAS remaining the dominant pattern. However, smaller numbers of travelers ventured to Europe, North America, and Asia for business, education, and family visits.
The GSS isn’t just presenting numbers; it’s calling for action. The statistical service recommended several policy interventions aimed at keeping more of that GH¢4 billion circulating within Ghana’s economy rather than enriching foreign hospitality sectors.
Dr. Iddrisu observed that while outbound travel contributes to international trade, cultural exchange, and regional integration, it also represents a significant outflow of resources that could benefit domestic tourism, noting that each cedi spent abroad on hotels, transport, and retail represents untapped opportunity for local enterprise and job creation.
The report urged government investment in transport infrastructure, airports, and hospitality facilities to make domestic alternatives more competitive. It also proposed tax incentives for local tour operators who design outbound travel packages incorporating Ghanaian services and products, essentially encouraging a model where even international trips start and end with locally-provided services.
Private sector players including tour operators, hotels, and airlines received encouragement to collaborate on comprehensive pre and post-trip experiences. The GSS specifically recommended promoting local crafts, textiles, and souvenirs to increase local content in outbound tourism spending.
Development partners and civil society organizations got their own call to action: support the tourism sector through funding, training programs, and digital innovation for small tourism enterprises. The thinking here is that better-equipped local businesses can compete more effectively for travelers’ money.
The survey forms part of Ghana’s broader alignment with Sustainable Development Goal 8.9, which promotes sustainable tourism, local culture, and product development. It’s also positioned as foundational work for building that comprehensive Tourism Satellite Account, which should finally allow accurate assessment of tourism’s contribution to Ghana’s GDP.
The timing of this data release comes as Ghana grapples with foreign exchange pressures and seeks to strengthen its balance of payments position. When GH¢4 billion flows outward annually through tourism spending, it represents both a challenge and an opportunity. The challenge is obvious: that’s money not circulating in Ghana’s economy. The opportunity lies in understanding these patterns well enough to redirect even a fraction of that spending toward domestic alternatives.
Whether Ghana can successfully capture more of this outbound spending depends on executing the GSS recommendations. That means better infrastructure, competitive pricing, improved service standards, and creative packaging that makes local options attractive enough to compete with regional alternatives. It’s a tall order in a competitive West African tourism market where countries like Togo and Côte d’Ivoire are already capturing significant Ghanaian spending.
