Reconnecting With Home: Exploring Ghana Can Strengthen Our Cultural Identity

Ghanaians have been urged to explore more of their own country as a way of reconnecting with their cultural heritage and strengthening national identity.

The call was made in an article by Maame Ama Boa Effah, an Intern with the Corporate Affairs Department of the Ghana Tourism Authority, who argues that increased domestic tourism could help preserve important aspects of Ghanaian culture.

According to her, social media and globalisation are influencing the way Ghanaians speak, dress, eat and interact, creating concerns that some traditional aspects of Ghanaian identity are gradually being lost.

She noted that the situation is particularly worrying because many Ghanaians travel within the country mainly for social obligations such as funerals, reunions and work-related activities, rather than for leisure and cultural exploration.

Effah pointed out that while Ghanaians readily mention international destinations such as the Eiffel Tower and Burj Khalifa when discussing places they want to visit, many have not explored the attractions and communities within Ghana.

She cited Ghana Tourism Authority data indicating that domestic tourism recorded 1.79 million visits in 2025, compared with Ghana’s population of more than 34 million.

She questioned how Ghanaians could preserve their heritage when they rarely visit the communities, historical sites and cultural centres where their traditions are preserved.

Effah also highlighted existing initiatives designed to promote domestic tourism, including the See Ghana, Eat Ghana, Wear Ghana, Feel Ghana campaign, which encourages citizens to travel within the country, experience local cuisine, appreciate Ghanaian fashion and engage with local music, folklore and traditions.

She also mentioned the VisitCapeCoast campaign, which seeks to position Cape Coast as a major tourism destination for both international visitors and Ghanaians.

However, she acknowledged that several challenges continue to discourage domestic tourism.

According to her, financial constraints, expensive inter-regional transportation, poor road conditions and high hotel prices make leisure travel difficult for many Ghanaians.

She noted that while air travel could reduce long travel times, airfares remain expensive and not every region has an airport.

Effah further argued that accommodation costs can discourage domestic tourists, particularly when residents face hotel rates they consider too high.

She suggested that hotels could introduce subsidised or tiered pricing for Ghanaian residents to make domestic tourism more affordable.

She also proposed that the Ghana Tourism Authority organise budget-friendly weekend group tours for residents and that regional exchange trips be incorporated into school programmes to expose young people to the different cultures and traditions across the country.

Effah welcomed ongoing efforts to improve regional connectivity, including plans for new and regional airports. She noted that developments such as the proposed Bolgatanga Airport and other regional airport projects could reduce travel times and encourage more inter-regional tourism.

She stressed that domestic tourism should not be viewed solely as recreation but also as a means of preserving Ghana’s cultural identity.

“Our identity is never truly lost; it waits in every village and festival and every story,” she wrote, arguing that the culture Ghanaians fear losing may still be available to them if they make the effort to explore their own country.

Effah concluded that reconnecting with Ghanaian culture could begin with something as simple as taking a bus to another part of the country and experiencing its people, traditions, food, stories and history.

By Maame Ama Boa Effah, Intern, Corporate Affairs, Ghana Tourism Authority.