By Hafsa Obeng
Accra, Nov. 24, GNA – Mr Emmanuel Frimpong, a Tourism Consultant and Analyst, has called for a more deliberate balance in national efforts to promote both tourism and the creative arts.
He said recent developments suggested a growing skew towards the creative sector at the expense of tourism and hospitality.
Mr Frimpong, the Founding President of the Africa Tourism Research Network (ATRN) and Chief Executive Officer of Pishon Consult Ltd., said while the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts carried a triple mandate, tourism appeared to be losing visibility despite its proven economic potential.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, he said Ghana’s creative sector, encompassing music, film, festivals, fashion and artistic expression, had gained significant momentum through policy advocacy and high-profile national events, a development that had boosted cultural expression and international appeal.
However, he noted that the momentum had “inadvertently created the perception that tourism was becoming the silent partner in a ministry meant to champion both.”
He said the creative arts deserved support because they shaped identity, empowered young talent and strengthened cultural diplomacy, but tourism remained the space that converted cultural appeal into real travel numbers, spending and jobs.
“Tourism has demonstrated time and again that it can be a transformative engine for the Ghanaian economy, citing Ghana’s wide range of attractions from beaches and wildlife sites to heritage monuments, festivals and cuisine,” he said.
Mr Frimpong noted that the sector required consistent marketing, improved visitor experience, domestic tourism education, investments in hospitality training, infrastructure upgrades, regulatory reforms, and research-driven planning.
“When these elements are overshadowed by activities in the creative sector, the tourism ecosystem becomes less competitive and less visible,” he cautioned.
He noted that balanced attention was essential, saying: “Creative arts draw attention, but tourism converts attention into economic impact. Creative industries inspire, but tourism moves people.”
He urged the Ministry and the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) to adopt measures to restore synergy, including a dedicated national tourism marketing strategy, targeted tourism infrastructure investment, stronger engagement with private-sector operators through the Public-Private Partnership Forum, and equitable media visibility for tourism programmes.
He recommended intentionally linking creative events to tourism packages to turn concerts, festivals and film premieres into travel attractions.
“With global interest in African destinations rising, Ghana has an opportunity to position itself as both a cultural powerhouse and a world-class tourism destination,” he said, adding that both sectors must advance together for the nation to fully benefit.
“Creative arts should shine, but not at the expense of tourism. Tourism should lead in economic value but not overshadow the cultural heartbeat of the nation.”
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe