Stakeholders in Ghana’s tourism industry are calling on the government to review the country’s $260 e-visa fee, warning that the high cost could undermine Ghana’s competitiveness as a tourism destination.
Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Hausa Tours, Fuseini Nawaru, said Ghana’s visa charges are significantly higher than those of several competing destinations in Africa and the Caribbean.
Speaking to Starr News on the sidelines of the 2026 World Tourism Day celebration in Koforidua, Mr. Nawaru said international travellers increasingly consider the overall cost of a destination when making travel decisions, with visa fees forming an important part of that calculation.
He cited visa fees in countries including Kenya at about $30, Tanzania and Rwanda at $50, Benin at $50, Ethiopia at $52, Cape Verde at $33, Côte d’Ivoire at $73, Senegal at $54, Zambia at between $25 and $50, and Zimbabwe at about $30.
He said Nigeria also charges approximately $50 to $100 depending on the visa category.
According to Mr. Nawaru, some Caribbean destinations have also adopted visa-free arrangements for several nationalities, while countries such as the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Suriname maintain relatively lower entry fees.
He believes Ghana risks losing more potential visitors to competing destinations if the current fee remains unchanged.
Mr. Nawaru therefore appealed to government to consider reducing the e-visa fee as part of broader measures to attract more international visitors.
He argued that a more competitive visa regime could increase tourist arrivals, generate additional tourism revenue, create jobs and strengthen Ghana’s position as a leading tourism destination in West Africa.
The 2026 World Tourism Day was held under the theme “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism.”
The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie stressed the need for Ghana’s emerging digital tourism economy to translate into tangible economic opportunities for young people and local businesses.
She said digital tourism should create opportunities for young entrepreneurs, women producing traditional crafts, tour guides, small hotel operators, food vendors, photographers, musicians and community tourism operators.
She called for increased investment in skills development to equip tourism professionals with competencies in hospitality, customer service, digital marketing, content creation and online customer engagement.
The Minister identified customer service as one of the major weaknesses in Ghana’s tourism industry and urged the Ghana Tourism Authority and industry associations to make service delivery a key component of their training programmes.
She said Ghanaian traditional culture itself provides useful lessons in customer service, particularly through the respect traditionally accorded to elders.
AI Should Complement Human Creativity
On artificial intelligence, Madam Gomashie said technology should be deployed to improve productivity, creativity and service delivery rather than simply replace workers.
She also called for responsible use of AI, including stronger protection of personal data and cybersecurity measures.
According to her, digitalisation must not come at the expense of the authenticity of Ghanaian culture.
“Our various cultures must become our products. Technology should help us tell our stories, but those stories must remain authentic and rooted in our people, our history, our values and our identity.”
The Eastern Regional Minister, Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, said the World Tourism Day theme highlights the need for Ghana to move beyond merely promoting tourism to intelligently managing the entire tourism experience.
She noted that the Ghana Tourism Authority launched the Ghana Tourism Information System in May 2026 as part of efforts to accelerate digital transformation in the tourism sector.
The Eastern Region hosted this year’s World Tourism Day activities alongside the ongoing Eastern Expo, which has brought together tourism operators, businesses, investors, policymakers and exhibitors to showcase products and explore investment opportunities.
