SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF DOMESTIC TOURISTS IN GHANA BY

SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF DOMESTIC TOURISTS IN GHANA BY JOSHUA SEBU

INTRO • Ghana is blessed with several tourist sites • These include national parks, waterfalls, caves, hills, castles, botanical gardens, etc. • Most of these sites are natural • These natural tourist sites are still in their raw state yet to be developed to enhance its value as a tourist site.

INTRO • Tourism contributes to the development of an economy through the provision ü foreign exchange ü Employment ü Income ü Development of tourism communities and facilities, etc. In 2005, US$836. 09 thousand dollars was received as foreign exchange increasing to US$1, 875. 0 million dollars in 2010. (Ohene-Ayeh, 2012) (Director of corporate affairs, GTA).

INTRO • The fact remains that international tourist arrivals to tourist sites in Ghana far surpasses that of domestic tourists. • According to GSS (2008), over 97% of Ghanaians hardly visit tourist sites. • This rather reduces benefits that could be obtained from their visits.

INTRO • According to Akyea (2009) among the excuses given by Ghanaians for not visiting tourist sites included üLack of funds üNo time to travel • Among these excuses my students also added that üThere are no organisation of such tours üGate fees are expensive, among others

INTRO • Fact sheet from GTA indicate rising trend in domestic tourism • By the end of 2010, total arrivals to tourist sites by Ghanaians was 659, 325 with an accompanying total revenue of GH¢ 1, 407, 444. 99. • According to Ohene-Ayeh (2012) this was a greater improvement in domestic tourism over the past five years.

Objective • The study therefore seeks to explore the socio -demographic characteristics of domestic tourists in Ghana. • Specifically the study will answers questions like üWhere domestic tourists are going? üWhere they are coming from? üWhat was the main purpose of their visit?

Methodology • The study uses data from the last round of the GLSS (GLSS 5) collected in 2005. • The sample includes only domestic tourist site visitors totaling 328 individuals out of 37, 128. • The results are weighted to take care of the disproportionate sampling. • Exploring the data through descriptive analysis to answer the above questions

Results • Same day visitors were 214, overnight visitors were 127, whiles 13 were overlapping • 57. 3% males, 42. 7% females • Mean age was 28 years with a standard deviation of 14. 9 • About 95. 46% have had some level of education • Average real income of visitors was GHȼ 639. 42 whiles non visitors was GHȼ 422. 80 showing a 34% difference between the two. • A T-test showed a significant difference (p=0. 000)

Same day Overnight Freq Weighted percent 19 7. 75 20 16. 55 Marriage ceremony 5 2. 81 2 1. 45 Birthday parties 3 1. 72 3 3. 00 Open days - - 1 0. 39 Business/Professional 17 8. 06 8 5. 75 Holidays/Vacation/Leisu re Visiting family/Friends 52 25. 46 12 7. 19 39 16. 76 53 42. 29 Convention/Conference/ workshop Religious/Pilgrimage 2 1. 12 11 10. 47 10 3. 60 1 0. 86 Government affair 2 1. 08 - - Studies 3 1. 38 4 3. 55 Teaching - - 1 0. 97 Health 1 0. 30 - - Sports/Recreation 13 8. 43 2 2. 05 Other 6 3. 14 2 0. 95 Missing System 42 18. 39 7 4. 51 Total 214 100. 0 127 100. 0 Funeral

Frequency Weighted percent cape coast castle 22 9. 4 elmina castle 10 4. 5 kumasi zoo 32 15. 4 accra zoo 16 8. 7 shai hills reource reserve 3 1. 6 aburi botanical gardens 9 4. 2 kakum national park 33 13. 8 mole national park 6 2. 0 ankasa wildlife resource reserve 1 0. 4 kwame nkrumah mausoleum 2 1. 4 akosombo dam 1 0. 5 digyae national park 1 0. 3 wui water falls 7 2. 7 boti water falls 18 9. 6 47 1 0. 3 amedzofe 2 0. 8 boabeng-fiema monkey sanctuary 2 0. 9 tongo hills 1 0. 5 paga crocodile pond 1 0. 2 bobiri forest and butterfly sanctuary, nobewam kintampo waterfalls 1 0. 6 4 1. 6 lake bosomtwe 15 7. 4 other (specify) 26 13. 0 Total 214 100 Same day tourist site visited

Frequency Weighted percent cape coast castle 15 10. 8 elmina castle 11 8. 8 kumasi zoo 19 12. 9 accra zoo 12 8. 7 aumatsa resource reserve 1 1. 0 aburi botanical gardens 3 1. 9 kakum national park 15 14. 6 mole national park 1 1. 0 kwame nkrumah mausoleum 5 4. 2 manhyia palace, kumasi 1 0. 9 kalakpa resource reserve 1 0. 7 kogyae strict nature reserve 1 0. 5 wui water falls 2 0. 6 boti water falls 6 5. 6 amedzofe 5 3. 2 paga crocodile pond 2 1. 2 kintampo waterfalls 2 2. 3 lake bosomtwe 6 5. 0 other (specify) 19 16. 2 Total 127 100. 0 Over night tourist site visited

Same day Cape Coast Western 20. 0 Central 15. 3 Elmina castle G. Accra 15. 3 3. 6 Accra zoo 8. 1 20. 2 29. 9 B. Ahafo 5. 5 13. 5 11. 9 19. 5 71. 6 17. 1 46. 6 23. 5 72. 5 29. 8 29. 9 14. 6 14. 2 10. 8 22. 2 19. 9 1. 9 6. 1 Ashanti 31. 4 24. 7 7. 7 Shai hills Aburi gardens Kakum park mole national park Ankasa wildlife Eastern 11. 5 35. 1 Kumasi zoo Volta 46. 8 U. East U. West 1. 0 4. 7 0. 9 13. 0 2. 0 38. 3 0. 7 100. 0 14. 9 100. 0 Digyae park Wui water falls 100. 0 96. 4 21. 2 10. 6 3. 6 68. 2 62. 4 100. 0 45. 5 Tongo hills 100. 0 68. 0 7. 4 32. 1 12. 0 100. 0 32. 0 100. 0 92. 6 8. 8 12. 7 4. 5 4. 8 20. 1 16. 3 100. 0 37. 6 54. 5 Boabengfiema monkey 8. 1 100. 0 Akosombo dam Paga crocodile Bobiri forest Kintampo waterfalls Lake bosomtwe Other 100. 0 Boti water falls Amedzofe Total 100. 0 Kwame Nkrumah m Total Northern 30. 3 34. 5 100. 0 2. 9 8. 9 1. 6 0. 2 1. 1 0. 9 100. 0

overnight Cape Coast cast Elmina castle Kumasi zoo Accra zoo Aumatsa reserve Aburi gardens kakum national park mole park kwame nkrumah Western 41. 0 34. 7 16. 9 Volta Eastern Ashanti B. Ahafo 22. 0 14. 9 6. 9 26. 3 29. 1 21. 8 21. 2 22. 4 8. 4 Northern U. East U. West 38. 3 6. 7 2. 8 12. 1 41. 8 100. 0 35. 0 2. 3 100. 0 6. 9 3. 6 100. 0 61. 7 100. 0 81. 4 5. 4 6. 5 100. 0 59. 7 100. 0 17. 6 22. 7 100. 0 100. 0 71. 3 34. 2 28. 7 65. 8 15. 7 100. 0 84. 3 22. 9 Kintampo waterfalls Lake bosomtwe Total 100. 0 Paga pond Other (specify) Total G. Accra 7. 6 Manhyia palace Kalakpa reserve Kogyae nature reserve Wli water falls Boti water falls Amedzofe Central 100. 0 77. 1 42. 1 57. 9 100. 0 54. 9 45. 1 100. 0 16. 2 12. 3 5. 4 3. 7 10. 1 13. 0 11. 7 4. 9 14. 3 49. 7 4. 0 2. 3 1. 7 100. 0 29. 4 9. 5 3. 4 2. 6 1. 2 100. 0

Packaged trip Same day Overnight Frequency 20 Weighted percent 15. 0 packaged tour 57 Weighted percent 27. 9 self arranged 109 51. 0 97 76. 6 other 7 3. 3 3 3. 9 Total 173 82. 1 120 95. 5 Missing System 41 17. 9 7 4. 5 Total 214 100. 0 127 100. 0

Sponsored trip Same day Overnight overnight Frequency Weighted Percent Frequency Weighted percent self-sponsorship 105 48. 9 80 63. 9 household member 49 24. 6 27 20. 4 private organisation 7 2. 8 2 2. 2 government international organisation other 5 2. 0 6 4. 6 1 0. 6 1 2. 1 6 6 3. 3 4 2. 4 Total 173 82. 1 120 95. 5 Missing System 41 17. 9 7 4. 5 Total 214 100. 0 127 100. 0

Accommodation stayed in by overnight visitors Frequency Percent Weighted percent Hotel (other lodging services) Guest house 9 7. 1 7. 3 3 2. 4 2. 0 Health establishments 3 2. 4 3. 2 Educational institutions 10 7. 9 8. 3 Holiday resorts 1 0. 8 0. 4 Tourist camp sites 1 0. 8 0. 7 Friends'/relative's residence Private home 70 55. 1 57. 0 13 10. 2 8. 8 Other (specify) 3 2. 4 1. 8 Total 113 89. 0 89. 5 Missing System 14 11. 0 10. 5 Total 127 100. 0 100

Conclusion • Income of domestic sites visitors are greater than non-visitors • Visits to these tourist sites were a secondary matter and not the main motive for travelling to areas endowed with these tourist sites. • Places mostly visited included Kakum National park, Kumasi zoo and cape coast castle. • Majority of domestic visitors were from the Ashanti region. • Visits were mostly self-arranged and also self sponsored.

Recommendations • Income levels of individuals when increased might encourage domestic tourism. • GTA and other tourism agents should develop these tourist sites especially the least visited to encourage increased domestic visits. • Intensified education and marketing should be carried out to encourage those who visit areas with tourist sites to visit these sites. ü Future research on regional disparities could be done to find out the factors influencing more visits by some regions than others.

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