A total of GH¢296 million was spent on outbound tourism in Ghana in 2015, the Domestic and Outbound Tourism Survey released by the Ghana Statistical Service has revealed.
Out of this amount, almost 80 percent was spent outside Africa, 11 percent in African countries and 9.0 percent spent in ECOWAS member states.
The report stated that 53.9 percent of the outbound tourism expenditure was incurred on education/training market.
This was followed by visiting friends and relatives’ category with GH¢ 39.7 million, approximately 13.4 percent, and then Business market with GH¢ 39.14 million, about 13.2 percent. Amount on funeral was the least, 0.9 percent.
The report stated further that nearly half-47.8 percent of the domestic overnight visitors’ expenditure was incurred on transportation while 21.3 percent was on shopping. The least of the expenditure was on travel agencies and other related services (0.1 percent).
According to the report, visiting friends and relatives’ category spent GH¢113.3 million (33.9 percent) on transportation while funeral category spent GH¢95.1 million (28.5 percent) On Food and beverages, visiting friends and relative category spent GH¢44.5 million (33.7 percent) while business market spent GH¢34.8 million (26.4 percent). Amount spent on cultural services was the least.
Meanwhile, about 35.6 percent of visitors with no education and 33.8 percent of those with MSLC/BECE education travelled more as domestic overnight visitors.
Again, visitors with no education travelled outside the country more than the remaining category of visitors, with SSSCE and post-secondary leavers being second highest. According to the report launched in 2015, only a few visitors (5 percent) traveled as tertiary graduates as domestic overnight visitors.
Also, about 30 percent of domestic same –day visitors were visiting friends or relatives. More than a quarter-25.6 percent- of domestic same-day visitors were however for funeral, and about 21.6 percent for business.
For domestic outbound visitors, 40 percent were for visiting friends or relatives, 30 percent for funeral and 14 percent for business.
With regard to the regions, Ashanti region had the most same- day and overnight visitors, while Eastern and Greater Accra regions had the second and third most same-day visitors respectively.
Greater Accra region however had the second highest number of domestic overnight visitors’ then Eastern region.
Upper East region recorded the least number of domestic same-day visitors and overnight visitors.
In terms of periods, domestic and outbound overnight trips were mostly undertaken in November.
For outbound overnight trips, the second highest month was August with 13.3 percent while for domestic overnight visitors, the second month with the highest trips was October with 16.1 percent).
January was the month with the least number of domestic overnight trips of 2.3 percent while March was the month with the least outbound overnight trips of 2.8 percent.
A sample of 6,030 households was selected from the 10 regions of Ghana for the survey.
The main objectives of the survey were provide baseline data on the volume of domestic and outbound to tourism, determine the profile and travel characteristics of domestic and outbound visitors, identify the travel patterns of Ghanaian households, estimate the extent and contribution of expenditure from domestic and outbound tourism in the country and provide updated and reliable statistics on domestic and outbound tourism demand for decision making.
<<Print>>