Ghana is courting British investors to explore opportunities in the country’s tourism, hospitality and creative sectors, with government highlighting several projects it believes can deliver strong returns while supporting economic growth and job creation.
The investment pitch was made by the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, during the Ghana–UK Investment Summit in London. The minister urged businesses to consider investing in hotels, tourism infrastructure, the creative economy and the flagship Marine Drive Project, describing the sector as an increasingly important driver of Ghana’s economy.
Addressing participants at the summit, Gomashie described Ghana as an attractive destination for tourism and creative sector investments.
“Ghana is a gateway for tourism and creative investment.” She told participants
She further described the sector as “one of the most dynamic engines of national growth,” noting that it continues to attract international visitors, diaspora investors and global partners.
A major concern raised by the minister was the shortage of quality accommodation facilities across the country, particularly for large international conferences and events.
According to her, Ghana continues to lose opportunities because it lacks enough hotel rooms to host major gatherings.
“We have a huge deficit of rooms that can accommodate people when we have conferences and so on.” she said
She added that there are occasions when conference organizers propose events capable of attracting between 5,000 and 10,000 participants, but Ghana struggles to accommodate them.
“It is a matter of perhaps a little bit of embarrassment for me that sometimes when I’m offered conferences that can house about 5,000 people and 10,000 people, it is difficult to accept it because I know that I do have a deficit.”
The minister said the accommodation gap presents a significant opportunity for investors interested in Ghana’s hospitality industry.
“If you’re invested in the hospitality industry, especially where hotels are concerned, you will be making the returns before you can blink.” She said
Beyond hotels, Gomashie highlighted opportunities in heritage tourism and ecotourism. She explained that many of Ghana’s tourism sites require complementary investments such as accommodation facilities, restaurants and visitor centres to unlock their full economic potential.
The minister also drew attention to Ghana’s expanding creative economy, particularly in film, music and fashion. While demand for creative content continues to grow, she noted that the industry lacks the infrastructure needed to support its expansion.
“What we are a short supply of is the facility, the studios, the capital to support the industry.” She said
She therefore appealed to investors to support the development of studios, production facilities and financing structures that can help accelerate growth within the sector.
Another key project promoted during the summit was the Marine Drive Project, a major redevelopment initiative aimed at transforming Accra’s coastline into a world class tourism and investment destination.
Describing the initiative, Gomashie said:
“The Marine Drive Project is a landmark initiative designed to transform Accra’s waterfront into a vibrant hub for tourism, culture, and investment.”
According to her, the project offers opportunities across hospitality, retail, entertainment and real estate through partnerships between government and the private sector. The development is also expected to support tourism growth while creating employment opportunities for thousands of people.
The investment drive forms part of Ghana’s broader strategy to attract foreign capital, expand tourism infrastructure and strengthen the creative economy as a major contributor to national development.
