Africa is on a mission to become the ultimate holiday hotspot and is on a quest to attract more tourists to its lands.
The number of international visitors embarking on Africa each year has been steadily increasing, with a projected growth of 16.1% by 2025.
According to a new report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), in collaboration with VFS Global, travel and tourism in Africa is set to boost the continent’s economy by a staggering £134.4 billion ($168 billion) over the next 10 years.
One such region in Africa has become a holiday haven particularly for those looking to escape the cold December.
Ghanaian president Nana Akufo-Addo launched a call-to-action initiative in Washington DC known as the “Year of Return”.
The initiative was launched in 2019 and urged black people in the diaspora to visit Africa and experience its unique beauty.
The project was marked by the 400th anniversary of the first arrivals of recorded enslaved Africans into the state of Virginia, USA and proved a major success.
A host of celebrities have been seen enjoying the allure that is Ghana with the likes of Dave Chapelle, Chance the Rapper, Gabrielle Union and Erykah Badu and thousands of other people stepping foot into the African country.
The project’s success has been evident in sectors including hospitality and entertainment with a total of 524 settlers being granted citizenship since November 2024.
But locals have been less enthused by this initiative with Ghana’s ever-increasing tourism causing soaring inflation rates.
Some service providers in Ghana have inflated their prices to ridiculous levels, with some even charging tourists dollars rather than the Ghanaian cedi, despite the economy dipping.
Consequently, the price of many products in Ghana has almost doubled including housing.
One local said in an interview with The Guardian: “On one hand, you get access to all types of celebrities. You could be sitting in a local bar and Idris Elba is two feet away from you.
“But many activities and their pricing have been centred around the visitors, creating something of a segregation.”
The blame of increased inflation has largely been placed on the government, with the Ghanaian president also in the firing line.
One local added: “I don’t think Akufo-Addo was ready when he made that open statement saying people should return home.”
