Ghanaian travellers spent a combined GH₵4 billion abroad in 2023, according to new data from the Ghana Statistical Service’s Domestic and Outbound Tourism Survey Report.
The report shows that a total of 470,806 outbound visitors including 77,501 same-day and 393,305 overnight travellers journeyed outside the country last year.
Outbound overnight visitors accounted for the bulk of expenditure, spending approximately GH₵3.4 billion, largely on trips to visit friends, relatives, and attend funerals.
Same-day travellers, who mainly travelled for business and professional purposes, spent about GH₵59.8 million.
Most outbound Ghanaians travelled to West African destinations, particularly Nigeria, Togo, and Côte d’Ivoire, for family and business visits.
The data revealed that Ashanti Region was the leading origin of same-day travellers, while Greater Accra Region topped for overnight visits.
The findings underscore both the growing mobility of Ghanaians and the need to strengthen domestic tourism infrastructure to retain more spending within the local economy.
Men accounted for a slightly higher proportion of outbound travellers, representing 52% of total trips compared to 48% for women.
The gender split was more pronounced among same-day visitors, where men dominated travel for business and professional engagements.
Women, on the other hand, formed the majority of overnight travellers, especially for family and social visits, including funerals.
The report recommends that the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, together with industry stakeholders, invest in domestic tourism promotion, improved transport and accommodation facilities, and the development of regional tourism circuits to encourage Ghanaians to explore local destinations.
It also highlights the need for greater collaboration between government and the private sector to reduce travel costs, improve service quality, and create incentives that can redirect part of the GH₵4 billion outbound expenditure into the domestic tourism economy.