Deputy CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Abeiku Santana, has
praised Ghana for being the only country in Africa to position itself as the go-to destination on the continent for party, festival, fashion, music, and lifestyle experiences during the holiday season.
Speaking in an interview on the Impact Code Africa Podcast, shared on his Instagram handle on May 19, 2026, Santana argued that effective tourism is fundamentally a marketing exercise, one that requires a country to define and aggressively sell its unique identity to the world.
"Tourism is a marketing business. You need to brand a destination. What are you selling? What is your unique selling proposition? Why should people come to your country?
"There is no country in Africa that has positioned itself as a destination for party, festival, fashion, music and lifestyle in December," Santana stated.
He noted that while some Southern African countries see their cities empty out in December as residents travel to villages, Ghana has turned the period into a thriving tourism season, particularly for millennials and Gen Zs seeking freedom and high-energy experiences.
He also flagged Easter as an emerging tourism season, citing activations such as festivities in some regions in Ghana as evidence of the Authority's intentional push to spread tourism activity beyond December.
“Easter has become an emerging tourism market season. There were activities in Kwahu in the Eastern Region, GomoaFest in the Central Region, and AshantiFest in the Ashanti Region,” he said.
Beyond attracting international visitors, Santana stressed that the GTA is equally focused on growing the domestic tourism market, encouraging Ghanaians to travel within the country and explore destinations beyond their immediate communities.
“We are not only intentional about developing new products, but we also want to sensitize the domestic market. We want people to travel from their homes and places abroad to other places,” he stated.
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