By Hafsa Obeng
Accra, Dec. 11, GNA – Professor Kobby Mensah, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Development Company (GTDC), has said the Company is rolling out digital systems and structured programmes to strengthen tourism management.
He said the initiative was expected to improve data accuracy and expand investment opportunities across the sector in 2026.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra, Prof Mensah said the country continued to lose value in tourism due to weak systems and unreliable processes, particularly in public service delivery.
He said the GTDC was prioritising stronger digital infrastructure, commercial innovation and stakeholder training to address the gaps.
Prof Mensah said a National Tourism Events Calendar, an online platform designed to host all festivals and tourism‑related events nationwide, was almost ready for launch.
He explained that the digital calendar would allow event organisers to upload details of their programmes, which would then be verified through Ghana Card and company registration checks before approval and publication.
He said the calendar would run from January to December, providing a single reference point for Ghanaians and visitors to view upcoming events, sync them with personal calendars and receive prompts on accommodation, restaurants and tourist sites.
“We are aiming at a full tourism experience, with a system-automated bot that will recommend hotels, food spots and tourist attractions in areas hosting events,” he said.
Prof Mensah said the GTDC was also preparing to introduce a Festival Management Protocol training programme for traditional councils and District Assemblies to address poor planning and coordination associated with major festivals.
The training, expected to be implemented in collaboration with UN Tourism, will cover transport management, security, risk management and other operational areas.
Prof Mensah noted that domestic tourism figures remained incomplete because the country only counted visitors at major tourist sites while excluding large festival crowds and entertainment events.
He said the GTDC was developing tools to capture attendance at concerts and festivals to generate more realistic domestic tourism data. He added that 2026 would be a strong investment year for the Company, with investment breakfast meetings, conferences and targeted engagements to attract capital into tourism enterprises.
Ms Felicity Nelson, Deputy CEO in charge of Operations, spoke on the impact of “Accra-by-Night,” a night-time tour showcasing the capital’s culture, food, history and nightlife.
She said the initiative had recorded nearly 800 participants within several months, with 20 buses covering more than 3,600 kilometres.
Ms Nelson said the tours had created direct economic benefits for small businesses such as market vendors, restaurants and nightlife operators, noting that many vendors now adjusted their schedules to align with tour arrival times.
She said Accra-by-Night had become a major contributor to President John Mahama’s 24-hour economy agenda, stimulating night-time commercial activity and strengthening Ghana’s reputation as one of Africa’s safest destinations.
Ms Nelson announced that because the December tours had sold out early, six extra dates had been added to meet demand.
“GTDC is now taking steps to replicate same initiative in other regions such as Kumasi-by-Night, Takoradi-by-Night, Cape Coast-by-Night and Tamale-by-Night,” she said.
She outlined the GTDC’s mandate, including mobilising tourism investment, equity partnerships, business support for SMEs and expansion of commercial operations such as event management, tour services and management of heritage sites including Assin Manso Slave River and the Big Tree.
Mr Ben Ohene Aryeh, Board Chairman of GTDC, commended the management team for improving the visibility of the Company’s brand.
He said ongoing initiatives such as the Ghana Tourism Marketplace; the Ghana Tourism Investment Platform and the Fleet Pool Marketing Services were key interventions supporting sector growth.
He assured that the Company would continue to innovate, engage stakeholders and advance systems that make Ghana’s tourism sector more competitive and commercially viable.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey