President of Tour Operators Union of Ghana (TOUGHA), Alisa Osei Asamoah, has revealed that Ghana’s tourism industry is having challenges because of the low patronage.

She added that the industry has a long way to go in the quest to project it to the global market.

“When you look at the industry, some years back and where it is today, I will say that it’s progressing because Ghanaians are gradually patronising it, but there is a long way to go,” she stated.

The President however urged Ghanaians to take delight in domestic tourism to have a lifetime experience and contribute the development of the industry. She added that their patronage will not only generate revenue for government, but will also ensure the sustainability of the Tourism Industry.

“Even though we have beautiful tourist attraction sites, we are not promoting them. We have to visit these domestic sites and promote them. In-bound tourism should be encouraged so that the money will stay here,” she noted.

Speaking with Roselyn Feli on CHANGES, the President of TOUGHA stated that there are a lot of beautiful tourist sites in Ghana but the low patronage has made it difficult to manage them properly. She attributed the low patronage to the fact that most Ghanaians think it is expensive to embark on such trips.

The Tour Operators Union of Ghana (TOUGHA) is an association of professionals in the travel industry in Ghana, comprising Tour Operators and Travel Agencies. TOUGHA strives for professionalism and integrity, and ensures the growth and recognition of the union in the tourism industry for the benefit of all its members, with a commitment to the highest standards of excellence in Ghana's hospitality and tourism industry.

According to her, the organisation’s core mandate is to promote domestic tourism by creating a conducive environment for people to enjoy tourism. This involves providing affordable tourist packages including transportation, accommodation, feeding and site fees to lure the average person.

“In promoting it, Ghanaians are saying that the packages are expensive as compared to other countries so TOUGHA has partnered with hotels, restaurants and transport unions. With the partnership, the packages are now affordable,” she reiterated.