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We’ve just returned from a 2 week tour of Ghana and must say their tourism industry is very basic at best. The locals have a long way to go to learn how to deal with tourists. A restaurant in Bolgatanga was the worst experience we had – food ordered for 5 people, waitress totally ignoring us, having to ask for drinks several times, BUT the locals coming in got a smile, friendly chat and food served right away while we waited over an hour for food. What we ordered was the same thing being served quickly to locals. Air-con that didn’t work, hotels with no sheets on the bed or towels, it was a real eye-opening experience. By all means go to Ghana if you are prepared to really rough it, their tourism infrastructure leaves much to be desired.
Linda, what did you expect? Ghana is an LEDC so their ‘tourism industry’ reflects this situation. And remember that customer service is a western practice, not a given – if the staff have not been given basic training (or even any basic formal education) then their concept of customer service is about as alien to them as no air conditioning in a hot country is to you.
Joshua Supertramp, this was not our first visit to Ghana, I have been there 10 times since 2005. We visit mainly in Cape Coast and the Sekondi-Takoradi area where things are much more westernized. The north was almost like a totally different country from the reception we get in the south. Ghanaian friends tell us the country is looking to increase tourism to generate income, but they need lots of lessons in how to treat tourists if they want to make tourism in Ghana a successful venture, especially in the north. Our tour guide was a Ghanaian from Accra and he was constantly on the locals about how they should treat visitors, usually not with positive results.
And all the school children at our mission link in Essikadu get very excited when they see the planes leaving from Takoradi to wherever they are going!
Hi Linda
Lovely to hear that – I will ask the captain to give them a wave from the cockpit next time – what is the name of your mission link?
Hi Joel, We have a mission link with St. Mark’s Anglican Church and school in Essikadu. They have a big complex on Essikadu Road with the church, mission house, primary school, junior high school and a nursery/creche with a walled in playground. Our church helped them build the nursery school which was opened in 2008.
Kwabena
Thank you for your kind words – that is very much appreciated. We are trying our best to give great customer service along with low cost flights. We do not get it right 100% of the time but are constantly getting better, or at least that is the way it feels.
Kwabena, do you think that maybe the universities should offer a programme in tourism or hospitality management? Training people to work in the tourism industry would give a big boost to tourism in Ghana, especially the north.
Hi Joel,
This is great information. Do you know of flights leaving from Ghana to Monrovia(Liberia) and Douala (Cameroon)?
Joel, how can I go about assisting getting out the word more about fly540africa? I think its long overdue and an economical choice for Africa. Are there plans soon to increase services to where one could travel in other areas of Africa?
We were told by our Ghanaian friends in Tarkwa that the power outages were happening because Ghana was selling electricity to the neighbouring countries and they could get more money selling to other countries than they get from selling it to their local customers in Ghana. Not sure how true this is, but it is what we were told by the friends we visited in October.
Hi Linda. Yes, I’ve heard that same reason. Again, Ghana is too rich in resources for this to happen.
Yes, I was told the same, Linda. Still, there should be no excuse for why Ghana cannot have electrical power that is consistent. It provides the world with a lot of natural resources.
Some copies should be make aveliable easy accessibility
It is sold at a few bookshops in Accra – eg Vidya Bookshop in Osu
Thanks for visiting Dan Beaded Handicraft I’m still in the business and I am adding rooms (accommodations) to it. Visitors may have some time to learn about beads making