As inbound traffic increases ahead of the Christmas season, hotels and guest houses are reporting greater occupancy levels.

Due to this periodic upswing pattern, tourism is now one of the main forces behind the expansion of the service industry.

Over 800,000 overnight tourists arrived in Ghana between October 2022 and September 2023, making up roughly 99 percent of all foreign arrivals, according to the Statistical Service’s 2023 Inbound Overnight tourists Report. Travel Guide to Ghana

The surge is continuing this year as people from the diaspora return home for the holidays, with just a few days till Christmas.

Bookings for hotels, guesthouses, and other lodging establishments have soared as a result.

Due to the improvement in macroeconomic conditions, some hoteliers are already implementing holiday promotions and early-bird discounts to maintain occupancy.

For example, CEO Ralph Ayitey of the Coconut Grove Hotel stated that management sees the holiday season as a chance to market Ghana as a high-end travel destination while sustaining high occupancy through targeted incentives.

“Overall, I will say it is not just about celebration, but it should be a celebration with an intention of putting Ghana first and putting the best of Ghana forward,” he said.

“We have consciously reduced our prices so that customers can stay longer and benefit more, and have the chance to explore Ghana. So they can decide to undertake day trips outside Ghana, outside Accra, to maybe our resort in Elmina, or they can choose to go and stay there, or some may want to explore and go to say Obuasi,” Ralph Ayitey added.

As the busiest time of year draws near, reservations at the Saraphina Guest House are steadily increasing. The management is concentrating on giving visitors an unforgettable celebratory experience.

“We are looking forward to welcoming customers from abroad. In response to feedback, we have made arrangements to provide gifts for our guests, an initiative aimed at improving their experience and encouraging repeat visits,” Deputy Manager of Saraphina Guest House, Narlia Munufieh, told the press.

Hospitality industry participants warn that cost constraints still exist despite the optimistic outlook. In anticipation of increased power rates in 2026, some are thinking about changing prices.

“The utility tariff hike expected next year will impact our operations and as a result, we have made plans to increase room rates in 2026,” Narlia Munufieh mentioned.

Additionally, some industry participants mentioned that the sector’s operational costs may be reduced by increasing local sourcing and import substitution.

“Ghana first agenda is very, very important to me. I think it is one that for us as Coconut Grove, consciously sourcing as much as we can from local producers has been very helpful and beneficial to us and I want all hotels to take that up. Be it what your staff wear, be it the linen, if it can be produced locally, go for it,” Ralph Ayitey stressed.