United States, United Kingdom, and Nigeria are driving a significant boost in tourism to Ghana, thanks to the country’s innovative Black Star Experience campaign. This initiative, which highlights Ghana’s rich cultural heritage, has become a key attraction for visitors seeking a unique blend of art, history, and local craftsmanship. With its growing appeal, the campaign is not only fostering cultural exchange but also creating job opportunities, particularly for local artisans and businesses. As more travelers from these key markets visit Ghana, the country’s tourism infrastructure is expanding to meet demand, with international airlines such as Delta Airlines adding more direct flights, and hospitality giants like Hilton and Marriott strengthening their presence in Accra. These efforts are positioning Ghana as one of Africa’s top destinations for both cultural tourism and global connectivity.

Ghana’s Tourism Industry Seeing Growth with Black Star Experience Campaign

Tourism from the United States, United Kingdom, and Nigeria has been growing to Ghana because of the Black Star Experience marketing campaign for Go Ghana, which is an initiative that helps promote and job offers to local artisans. Also, because of the campaign, more advanced tourist infrastructure was needed. These new tourist infrastructures developed because of partnerships with the airline Delta which boosted Ghana’s tourism. The hospitality industry with hotels and resorts are ready to promote and showcase their new world-class facilities and services to per their new guests.

United States and Ghana: A Growing Connection

The United States is still one of the largest source countries of visitors to Ghana, GV 138,000 tourists for 2024. The influx of tourists from the United States is due to great cultural voyager and strong diaspora links. The Black Star Experience campaign has broadly uplifted the cultural and artistic tourism focus of the U.S. customer to Ghana.

Ghana has become an important travel spot because there are strong historical ties between it and the U.S. Plus, the U.S. has a large African-American diaspora community. The “Year of Return” campaign, which started back in 2019, invited African Americans to come to Ghana and trace their roots. This campaign, along with the Black Star Experience, still draws thousands of U.S. tourists every year who want to reconnect with their roots.

Along with all the cultural reasons to travel to Ghana, there are also good reasons from the safety and welcoming perspectives. This is why it is a good travel spot for Americans. There are also direct flights to Ghana from the U.S. major cities. For instance, there are direct flights to Kotoka International Airport from New York City’s JFK Airport. This makes travel to Ghana even easier as American tourists are interested in the country.

United Kingdom: A Historic Connection Driving Tourism

For Ghana, the United Kingdom (UK) has always been a significant source of tourists, with more than 52,000 British tourists coming in 2024, a figure that keeps rising. This increase is effortless due to the country’s historical ties, shared cultural experiences, and mutual admiration. The British tourists’ interest in Ghana is diverse as some tourists visit to enjoy the beauty of the country’s landscape whereas some appreciate the country’s heritage and support the businesses and artisans.

The British Colonial history and African heritage tourism appeal also explains the strong ties. The British tourists are interested in Ghana’s historical tourism, like Cape Coast Castle which was a pivotal point in the transatlantic slave trade history. The Black Star Experience is essential in drawing the UK audience as it presents a Ghanaian fusion of music, dance, fashion, and art, enhancing the overall tourist experience.

For passengers traveling from the UK, the numerous flight alternatives from the UK to Ghana help with the travel experience. Due to demand, British Airways, for example, adds direct flights from London Heathrow to Accra. As interest in Ghana continues to grow, the demand for flights from other international airlines such as KLM and Air France also increases adding to the flight availability for travelers to Ghana. 

Nigeria: Regional Tourism Surge with Shared Culture

Due to proximity and shared cultural heritage, Nigeria is the top sourcing tourist country to Ghana. As many travelers come for leisure, business, and familial connections, 111,000 Nigerians discover Ghana in 2024. The Black Star Experience is cultural bridge-building tourism as the Black Star Experience focuses on the relationship between the two with music, art, and fashion. The initiative is especially appealing for Nigerian tourists, as it offers deep cultural interaction.

Gambia has trained tourism authorities to strengthen bonds with her neighbors just as the Black Star Experience has projected cultural tourism close by aimed at encouraging regional travel from Nigeria to Ghana.

Ghana has become a favorite travel destination for Nigerians because travel from Nigeria to Ghana has become easy and cheap. Air Peace and Arik Air offer frequent daily flights to Accra from Lagos and Abuja thus encouraging even more tourism for Ghana. Air travel tourism from Nigeria will likely increase even more due to the increase in regional flight offers.

Delta Airlines Expanding Service to Ghana

For the past 9 months Delta Airlines has increased operations from the United States to Ghana beginning the seasonal Pulse of the Nation. The Pulse of the Nation campaign promotes travel for cultural tourism and has positively increased Delta Air’s tourism opportunities to Ghana. Delta turns 100 in 2025 and to celebrate will open a new seasonal daily flight to Atlanta making it Delta’s 5th daily flight. They have extended their Atlanta-Accra flight from a 3-5days offering to satisfy their increased tourism to Ghana and Africa as a whole.

Now that Delta Airlines offers nonstop flights from Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport to Kotoka International Airport, it’s easier for U.S. tourists to fly to Ghana. This will encourage more American tourists to visit. Delta Airlines is about to expand their role in Tourism by making flights from the U.S. to Ghana more convenient.

Ghana will be able to achieve all their tourism goals much easier with the help of all the new Delta flights. Their new flights will help more tourists, especially from the U.S., visit Ghana more easily, allowing them to experience all the beauty and culture it has to offer.

The Hospitality Industry in Ghana: Preparing for Increased Visitors

As the number of international visitors to Ghana continues to rise, the country’s hospitality industry is trying to prepare for the increase in tourists. In response to the growing demand for luxury accommodation, Hotel chains, including Hilton and Marriott, have been expanding and adding new properties in Accra.

As one of the premier hotels in the country, the Hilton Accra Hotel opened with a brand new Rooftop pool, with several eateries, the latest conference amenities, and more. Nestled in the heart of the city, this hotel will appeal to both business and leisure travelers looking for a lavish experience.

Located to the east of Ghana, the Accra Marriot Hotel opened in 2024 with 200 lodgings, an international cuisine restaurant, a large meeting facility, and more. Marriot caters to travelers going to the Black Star Experience and other cultural happenings in Accra as well as tourists.

With more and more local and international hotels planning to come to Africa, the country remains one of the most authentic and luxurious places to visit.

How the Black Star Experience is Boosting the Local Economy

Beyond being a celebration of culture, the Black Star Experience is also a catalyst for the economic growth of Ghana. A campaign that garners tourists from all over the world creates opportunities for artisans and entrepreneurs. A key feature of the Black Star Experience is the arts and crafts market, where local artisans display and sell their work to foreign customers. Initiatives like these unlock potential employment opportunities and help small businesses operating within the local economy, specifically those in the arts and crafts sector.

Carrying out the Black Star Experience also creates new opportunities for local hospitality businesses, including transportation, and various other services. Hotels, restaurants, and tour guides all rise alongside the number of tourists leading to new opportunities in the employment of Ghanaians, particularly in the tourism and hospitality industries. Those in the service sector, including transportation and various other services, also benefit from the work created through the Experience.

Things to Know When Traveling to Ghana

If you’re considering a trip to Ghana, here are a few travel tips to consider to help you prepare for your trip:

• Best Time to Visit: The best time to visit Ghana is from November to March, when the weather is dry and exploring the country becomes a lot easier!
• Visa Requirements: Most visitors to Ghana will need a visa. Contact your local Ghanaian embassy for visa info and requirements.
• Vaccinations: It is best to get immunizations for yellow fever, typhoid, and hepatitis A to travel to Ghana. Malaria prophylaxis is also advisable.
• Money and Currency: The Ghanaian Cedi (GHS) is the local currency and you can get your currency exchanged at the airport, hotels, and banks. You can also use a credit card in most banks.
• Safety: Ghana is a safe country to travel, but it’ll be best to practice the standard personal safety steps, especially in the city.

Flights To Ghana

Traveling to Ghana is easy. Flights to Accra from major international airports are avaialble.

• Airline and Flights: Delta Airlines will offer nonstop flights from Atlanta to Accra every day starting December 2025.
• British Airways: Offers direct flights to Accra from London Heathrow.
• KLM: Provides nonstop flights from Amsterdam to Accra.
• Air Peace: Runs multiple flights from Lagos and Abuja to Accra.

These airlines offer seamless service and foster a direct travel link for tourists from the U.S., UK, and Nigeria to visit and enjoy the Black Star Experience in Ghana.

United States, United Kingdom, and Nigeria are significantly boosting tourism to Ghana through the Black Star Experience campaign, which celebrates the country’s rich culture. With more international airlines like Delta and global hotel brands expanding, Ghana is quickly becoming a top destination for travelers.

Wrapping Up

The Black Star Experience is a primary reason Ghana’s tourism industry is flourishing. Major airlines like Delta to British Airways and KLM to newest KLM flights to Ghana really makes accessibility simple for tourists coming from the United States, the United Kingdom, Nigeria, and other regions. With the added development of Ghana’s hospitality industry like new hotels from the Hilton and other Marriotts, the newly proposed tourism slogan “the shining star of Africa” is becoming a reality. Ghana is a rich source of history, art, music, and craft for tourists seeking for an immersive cultural experience.