Bold takeaway: Ghana’s digital tourism marketplace is already delivering real, real-time bookings and cashless payments for international travelers, while a new proposal to build a separate app could complicate a growing success story.
Ghana’s flagship digital tourism marketplace, the Ghana Tourism Marketplace (GTM), created by the Ghana Tourism Development Company (GTDC), has quietly become a global success. It’s now a central hub where travelers book tours, events, and experiences ahead of the busy December festive season. Tourists from Portugal, the United States, France, Germany, and other regions are using GTM for smooth bookings and easy cashless payments.
GTDC CEO Prof. Kobby Mensah spoke at the Volta Investment Summit, underscoring the platform’s momentum. He stated that GTM enables real-time bookings and payments from inbound visitors, noting that more than 90% of tickets for the popular “Accra by Night” tour have already been sold through GTM, with payment cards issued from cities like Lisbon, New York, Paris, and Berlin.
Yet, the platform’s early success has coincided with an unexpected development: the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), which markets Ghana’s tourism assets, is proposing to build a brand-new app called “Visit Ghana.” This new app would offer virtual experiences, online payments, and bookings, mirroring many features already available on GTM.
Industry observers are raising questions about this move: Why create a second system when one platform is already proving effective, especially while Ghana is in a global race for tourism revenue? There are concerns that a fragmented digital landscape could confuse travelers and dilute government investments.
With inbound travel expected to surge in December, coordinating digital efforts between GTA and GTDC is becoming more urgent. Prof. Mensah confirmed that GTDC will meet with GTA to align their roles and protect the state’s investment in tourism technology. The stated aim is to maximize value, ideally through a single, unified GTM platform.
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