The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has officially launched its 2026 stakeholder engagement calendar with a high-level meeting that brought together key players across Ghana’s tourism value chain to chart the course for the year ahead.
The engagement, the first of its kind for 2026, attracted representatives from the hospitality industry, tour operations, event promotion, cultural and heritage institutions, as well as allied service providers. Also in attendance were the three Deputy Chief Executive Officers of the Authority, together with Directors and senior management from the GTA Head Office.
Addressing participants, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Maame Efua Houadjeto, reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to deeper and more structured collaboration with industry stakeholders, stressing that sustained engagement remains critical to consolidating recent gains in the sector.
“This year, our engagement with industry stakeholders will be more deliberate, more consistent, and more results-driven,” she said. “Tourism cannot grow in silos. Our focus is to work closely with stakeholders, listen more, align better, and build a sector that is professional, competitive, and globally respected.”
The CEO announced that capacity building and industry-wide training will be a major focus in 2026, aimed at improving service delivery, strengthening operational standards, and enhancing the overall visitor experience across the country.
“Training is no longer optional. To protect Ghana’s tourism brand and remain competitive, we must continuously upgrade skills, improve service delivery, and professionalise every layer of the sector,” Maame Efua Houadjeto noted, adding that the GTA will prioritise targeted training programmes to support industry players and raise standards nationwide.
Reflecting on recent achievements, she cited the success of December in GH as evidence of the power of effective public–private collaboration. However, she emphasized that the Authority’s focus for 2026 will be on consolidation—transitioning from momentum to long-term sustainability.
The engagement outlined key priority areas for the year, including strengthening December in GH as a structured tourism economy, deepening heritage and cultural tourism, expanding domestic tourism initiatives, enforcing standards and compliance, and driving innovation through strategic partnerships.
Participants welcomed the initiative and reaffirmed their commitment to working closely with the Authority to grow the tourism sector, create jobs, and further position Ghana as a preferred tourism destination.
The Ghana Tourism Authority reiterated its resolve to maintain open, consistent engagement with stakeholders throughout 2026 as it works to build a resilient, inclusive, and high-performing tourism industry for Ghana.
