Known worldwide for its beautiful kente cloth, its many coastal castles designated World Heritage Sites because of their connection to the slave trade, and warm, friendly people, Ghana has many other attractions to offer ecotourists, including miles of unspoiled, uncrowded beaches, Mole National Park, Volta Lake (the largest human-made lake in the world) and the Kintapo Waterfalls.
With more than 5 percent of Ghana's land officially protected through 16 national parks and conservation areas, the country is a perfect destination for nature lovers to observe a range of colorful birds, butterfly species, monkeys, waterfalls, savannahs and forests. Ghana has become a pioneer in community-based ecotourism. Nature Conservation Research Centre, one of Ghana's leading conservation organizations, is instrumental in developing "community protected areas" in partnership with other organizations, both governmental and non-governmental, and the community. NCRC notes that they "promote a greater awareness of and protection for the natural, historic and cultural diversity of Ghana."
Successful projects include Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary, Avu Lagoon, Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary, Bobiri Forest and Butterfly Sanctuary, which is a well-preserved tropical rainforest that attracts more than 500 species of butterflies, Nyankamba Escarpment, Tafi Atome, Asumura and the Afram Arm of Lake Volta.
Tourists get to see the flora and fauna of Ghana in their purest form with minimal damage to the surrounding environment while the communities visited benefit from the income generated. This community-based ecotourism also allows community members to actively participate in the preservation of their natural and cultural resources and serves as a complement to farming and other activities that the communities are normally involved in.
When instituted with deliberate plans, community-based ecotourism can jump-start economic growth and reduce poverty. The income generated provides direct financial incentives to preserve the areas and the communities themselves determine how they want to reinvest and how to best use the money to meet their needs. The United Nations agency dedicated to tourism, United Nations World Tourism Organization, notes that developing countries benefit from sustainable tourism, the type being instituted in Ghana.
Tourism is Ghana's fastest-growing industry and third largest foreign exchange earner behind gold and cocoa. According to the Ghana Rural Ecotourism and Travel Office, tourism in Ghana grows at roughly 15 percent per year. While Ghana's Tourism Board reports that tourist arrival numbers rose to 698,069 from 428,533 in 2005 to 2008.
The UNWTO estimates that by 2020, international arrivals worldwide will exceed 1.5 billion people. Ghana, with its political stability and low crime rate is one of the safest places to visit in Africa and with its pioneering ecotourism programs already in place, will be poised to compete for a larger share of the increasing numbers of travelers.
