By Arc. Ekow Sampson
Ghana has significant potential to develop cruise tourism into a major contributor to its tourism economy. With its Atlantic coastline, strategic ports at Tema and Takoradi, historic forts and castles, vibrant culture, beaches and natural attractions, Ghana is well positioned to become a leading cruise destination in West Africa.
The global cruise industry presents an enormous economic opportunity. According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), a record 37.2 million passengers travelled on ocean-going cruises in 2025, representing a 7.5% increase over 2024. More significantly, the industry generated approximately US$198.8 billion in global economic output in 2024, contributed US$98.5 billion to global GDP and supported 1.8 million jobs worldwide, with US$60.1 billion in wages. These figures demonstrate that cruise tourism is not merely a leisure activity but a substantial global economic enterprise.
From Exploration to Market Engagement
My advocacy for cruise tourism is grounded in direct professional experience. In 2023, I led a Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) team to explore the cruise tourism market in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA. In 2024, I again led a GTA team to participate in the Seatrade Cruise Global Exhibition in Miami, Florida, USA. These engagements provided opportunities to interact with international industry stakeholders and explore strategies for positioning Ghana within the global cruise market.
Ghana recorded approximately 12,600 cruise passengers in 2024. However, the reported figure declined to 5,488 passengers across 18 cruise ship calls in 2025. This fluctuation underscores the need for sustained international marketing, stronger cruise-line partnerships and deliberate destination development.
Tema and Takoradi: Gateways to Ghana
Tema offers cruise visitors access to Accra’s historical landmarks, culture, gastronomy, shopping and entertainment. Takoradi provides opportunities to develop excursions around historic forts and castles, beaches, Kakum National Park and other attractions across the Central and Western regions.
However, attracting cruise ships is only part of the equation. The Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) must establish dedicated, well-equipped cruise tourism reception facilities at Tema and Takoradi.
These should include passenger reception centres, tourist information and excursion desks, organised parking for tour buses and taxis, efficient immigration and customs services, clean public toilets, comfortable waiting areas, security facilities and designated spaces for Ghanaian crafts and retail businesses.
Working with GTA, security agencies, tour operators and local assemblies, GPHA should ensure a seamless, safe and welcoming passenger experience. Our ports must become professional gateways to Ghana’s tourism attractions.
Turning Arrivals into Economic Benefits
Cruise passengers spend on excursions, transportation, food, souvenirs and entertainment. Cruise lines also purchase supplies and services in destination countries, creating opportunities for local businesses. Some passengers extend their stays before or after their cruises, generating additional revenue for hotels, restaurants and other tourism enterprises.
An important global industry finding is that more than 60% of cruise passengers return to destinations they initially discovered through cruise travel. This presents Ghana with an opportunity to convert cruise visitors into future holidaymakers and repeat international tourists.
Local communities must benefit directly through employment opportunities for tour guides, sales of crafts, artisans, restaurants, cultural groups and transport operators. This requires investment in training, sanitation, security, access roads, visitor facilities and environmental protection.
A National Strategy Is Essential
Ghana needs a coordinated national cruise tourism strategy involving GTA, GPHA, the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board, Forestry Commission, District and Municipal Assemblies, tour operators and private investors.
Priorities should include sustained engagement with international cruise lines, targeted international marketing, attractive shore excursions, improved port facilities, workforce training, community participation and the development of competitive cruise itineraries linking Ghana with other West African destinations.
My engagements in Fort Lauderdale in 2023 and Miami in 2024 strengthened my conviction that cruise tourism deserves a more prominent place in Ghana’s tourism development agenda.
Cruise tourism offers Ghana an opportunity to generate foreign exchange, create jobs, stimulate local enterprise and showcase its rich cultural and natural heritage to the world. With strategic investment, effective collaboration and sustained international promotion, Ghana can capture a greater share of this expanding global market.
Ghana must move from being merely a port of call to becoming a destination of choice. The time to unlock our cruise tourism potential is now.
