Minister for Tourism Culture and Creative Arts , Abla Dzifa Gomashie, is urging service providers across the tourism value chain to elevate customer experience ahead of the busy “December in Ghana” season, warning that the country risks losing competitive advantage if visitor-facing standards do not improve.

Speaking to Citi Business News, the Minister said Ghana’s tourism success will increasingly depend on the “soft infrastructure” that shapes visitor experience — from airports and immigration to hotels, car rentals, restaurants and tour operators.

“Tourism is really about movement and the experience of a visitor is not only about the destination; it’s the whole value chain,” she noted.

She stressed that Ghana cannot outspend global markets with attractions like Disneyland or Dubai’s mega-sites, but can outperform them through hospitality and service quality.

“What we can have — which should be free — is a beautiful smile and a beautiful experience,” she said, adding that simple gestures such as offering alternatives with courtesy and regularly checking guest satisfaction form the “soft part of tourism that doesn’t need money.”

With the peak travel season approaching, she called for consistency in the country’s famed warmth.

“December in Ghana is a big deal. Let’s work together to give wonderful experiences to all who are coming back home,” she said, emphasising equal treatment for both foreigners and returning Ghanaians.

Touching on the sector’s economic significance, the Minister said tourism generated more than GH¢4.8 billion last year and expects even stronger performance in 2026 if investments in service quality and ecosystem-wide coordination improve.

She appealed for greater budgetary support to scale industry programmes, while assuring government of the sector’s commitment to deliver higher returns.

“As we ask for more, we are also pledging to bring in more than we did last year,” she said.

She also praised recent gains in macroeconomic stability driven by the Finance Ministry and the Bank of Ghana, saying stable foreign exchange conditions provide a more predictable environment for tourism operators and investors.