How Society and Cultural in Ghana Impacts Development of Tourism - Case Study Example

UNDERSTANDING TRAVEL AND TOURISM Name Institution Instructor Course Date Introduction Ghana means ‘Warrior King’. Being an African country, Ghana was subject to the colonialists during the European invasion like other African countries. With the emergence of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade which lasted for over 300years (1482-1787), there still remains memories of the brutal times that people were shipped to the Americas. Slave forts were built by the Europeans during these times and about 60 original structures to date still stand (Levy & Wong, 2010). Unimaginable things happened in these forts to the slaves under the colonialists and such were of extreme violence and brutality. No man ever should have been subjected to the torture and slavery that slaves underwent. I believe that every man is equal and thus none should be treated as less a human being than the next. Ghanaians as a people have moved on from those dark ages and are looking forward to a bright and prosperous future. Despite the challenges, they are reclaiming history and are now using the forts to encourage tourism as well as development. Taking pride in their past has opened up doors of economic prosperity that would otherwise passed by had they not embraced it. This project aims to explore multiracial group travel conditions and the main reasons why Ghana can become a quiet destination pulling people to go there. It also provides the relevant information on how that society and cultural in Ghana impacts development of tourism. Part 1: Map of Ghana Part 2: Ghana’s Natural Environment People visiting Ghana for their first time are likely to encounter Lake Volta, the largest reservoir in the world which generates electricity and provides transport as well. Water from this lake is valuable for purposes of fish farming as well as irrigation which helps sustain a lot of local communities around it (Karlya, 2012). This country is geographically closest to the centre of the earth than any other. As a result Ghana experiences varied weather conditions which attract attention in their own right. As a result of interest in African history by African-Americans, tourism is becoming a booming industry in Ghana. Taking the journey as a pilgrimage and not a visit, African- Americans are in this way connected to Ghana through the feeling of ‘shared memory.’ It is said that ‘When a good thing goes bad, it is not the end of the world but the end of a world.’ With this in mind, European interactions with Africans, which led to slavery, is an example of such. Ghanaians have discovered this and have moved on from the days of hurt to those of hope for a future and economically viable times. For this reason, tourists cannot expect to find a ‘backward’ people but rather a very conscious people with a goal to promote tourism and development as a community. Part 3: Major Features of Ghana Population Ghanaian population is divided into 75 ethnic backgrounds. According to the census carried out in 2011, it is estimated that Ghana has over 25,000,000 (51% females, 49% males). About 70 percent of the population lives in the southern half of Ghana. Most people in Ghana are the coastal Fanti and the Ashanti (Karlya, 2012). They live in central Ghana, both belonging to the Akan family. Language English is the official language. It is used in schools nationwide plus nine other local languages. Widely spoken languages are Ga, Dagomba, Akan, and Ewe. Religion Christian population accounts to two fifths which includes Roman Catholics, Protestants and Baptists (Karlya, 2012). Traditional religions also account to two fifths of the population. The Muslims who account to 12 percent are mainly located in the northern region. Education Ghana has one of the most, if not the most, developed education systems in western Africa since 1970s. The system is being restructured to address the decline in education standards. About a third of Ghanaians have not been to school and there are alleged disparities favoring the male child (Karlya, 2012). Changes are mainly in providing primary education as well as vocational training at secondary and tertiary levels. Literacy levels average about 53 percent, which is quite high in Africa. Earning a living Most Ghanaians over decades have depended on agriculture, subsistence farming to be precise. Cocoa production has led to the creation of frontiers. It mainly involves small holder farmers using family labor (Karlya, 2012). Being a nation of natural wealth in abundance, there is vast opportunity in the mining and human resource sectors also. Agriculture constitutes to 4.4 percent of Ghana’s GDP. Gold recently overtook cocoa as the leading export as diamonds, bauxite and aluminum fall behind. Part 4: Heritage Resources Heritage basically refers to the historical icons that associate a tourist destination with its past cultural history and is normally passed from one generation to the other. In order to experience the heritage of destination tourists may visit various attractions such as cultural centres and museums, theme parks, and art galleries. Since nobody climbs a tree from the top, Ghana has had to endure trying times during slavery. To date, two of the most famous castles; Cape Coast and Elmina attract loads of visitors from all over the world. They are both popular among the locals and are also tourist destinations. What is fascinating about these castles is that they are symbolic for ‘extreme brutality and violence.’ It was in these castles that atrocities were committed to the slaves. The Elmina Castle was originally built by the Portuguese and later the Britons purchased it in 1873 and thereafter renamed it ‘St. George castle’ (West African Archaeological Association, 2001). Being the first trading post on the gulf of guinea below the Sahara, UNESCO recognizes it as a world heritage site. The Cape Coast Castle was built by the Swedish traders but was later rebuilt by the British around the 18th century. Initially, it was built for trade in timber and gold. It was in these castles and Fort Christianborg that slaves were held in poor conditions before being put in boats headed to western countries. According to Nora in the case of France (1989), these forts act as ‘a bond tying us to the eternal present’ Ghanaian slave forts are representatives of a particular time in History- the Tras-Atlantic Trade era. Dungeons in Ghana have been an area of dispute for reasons such as painting and lighting. It is argued that the original designs did not include dungeons for purposes of holding slaves before shipment. In these dungeons, it was later discovered that slaves were chained, locked up, left out in the darkness for days and sometimes without food or water. According to Karlya (2012) dungeons at the Cape Coast and Elmina in the 18th century could hold up to1000 slaves at a time. This is a fairly large number of slaves waiting to be shipped to the western world. Topic 5: Ghana Becomes a Tourist Destination Ghana is mainly regarded to as a cultural destination by mostly the European visitors due to its association with the infamous slave trade. In addition, castles have also contributed in making Ghana a tourist destination since people in the western world feel the need to connect to their ancestry (Robinson & Dieke, 2011). This makes them to travel back to Africa in search of the truth and answers for their past history. This is mainly driven by the fact that once you understand where you are from, then you will have a good idea of where you are headed. Mutual benefits for both the Ghanaians and visitors from the Diaspora make Ghana an ideal tourist destination. This is because Ghanaians are willing to sell their history to the world and as such, visitors are willing to buy. African heritage in all perspective brings together a lot of people from around the world. Being strategically located on the globe and at the time of European invasion, Ghana harbored many ships that docked at the coast as they explored the interior. At best, many European countries ranging from Britons, Portuguese, and the Swedes, are among the few who made a mark in Ghana. This goes ahead to show that Ghana is a diversified state with different backgrounds unlike other countries in Africa who were colonized by just the British. Topic 6 Push factor Push factors mainly include economic, social, technologic, demographic and political forces that encourage tourists to leave their resident countries and visit a particular destination such as Ghana (Weaver & Lawton, 2010). The stable political environment in Ghana has for many years contributed in pushing visitors to Ghana. Ghana is particularly popular with Britons, Portuguese, and Swedes, among other people from different parts of the world. Pull Factors Pull factors are those that make to be attracted to a certain destination. They include a positive image, good climate, people’s safety, and other natural attractions. The good climatic conditions in Ghana and its rich cultural heritage have contributed as pull factors for tourists. Rivers and the presence of clean beaches have also contributed immensely in attracting tourists. Motivations Travelling to Ghana satisfies various needs and desires from tourists. Motivation to visit Ghana has been on various criteria whereby it has been put on the map as a tourist destination and is fairing quite well. First, the involvement of UNESCO to make Cape Coast and Elmina castles as national heritage sites has globally brought attention to them. This is a big deal for Ghana because now, anyone visiting the internet for locations to visit in Ghana will under the UNESCO have information ready on its website (Richardson & Fluker, 2004). Dungeons for both the male and female slaves also act as attractions where inhumane activities took place. These were mostly referred to as doors of no return. Again, good care has been taken to these castles and sites with minimal renovations made. This therefore gives the tourist a timely view of how it actually was those many decades ago. Part 7: Activity in Destination The fact that African- American interest is growing every day as people want to learn more about their past. What better way of doing it than to retrace their steps backward to the cradle of mankind- Africa. This reason alone will motivate anyone interested in their own history to visit the place and see for themselves rather than rely on scholars’ opinions and research. At these sites, tourists get to see first hand how it was back in the day when ‘civilization’ was at its infancy. They also get to see other smaller castles and forts towards the interior where trading took place as well as spend the night in some of these locations. It is mostly an adventure for all as the great outdoors provide a sense of freedom of the wild to embrace. Part 8: The Impact of Tourism in Ghana Tourism as an economically viable endeavor generally has an impact on the immediate surrounding upon its inception. First off, it creates a whole new job market for the locals. It is evident that the visitors will need tour guides to help navigate the new terrain. Locals provide good guides for this. Before English became widespread, communication between visitors and locals was difficult and so a new dialect was taught to the locals. Intermarriages have become rampant over the years due to mingling of the locals and the visitors (Dallen, 2009). This creates new ties with the western world through marriages. All the same, it is not rosy all the way. Tourism brings with it several hazards such as diseases. Ailments not known to the African were introduced to the indigenous people and large numbers of Africans died due to lack of proper medical attention. Fugitives have posed as tourists and entered the society of Ghana. This led to the erosion of behavior as well as character. All the same, the good outweigh the bad in this case because there is great technology improvement among the locals and it is working wonders as it opens doors to the rest of the world. Part 9: Accommodation Tourists who wish to spend around the sites they visit can also be catered for in Ghana. Most of these sites provide accommodation within the site and so one can have all day as well as all night to explore the site. If it gets too creepy and the visitors find it hard to spend in the dungeons, there is a small town called Busua. This small town is located 30km from Takoradi and is between Butre and Dixcove. It boasts of long beaches and restaurants of world class stature. Thus tourists have a lot to choose from once they need accommodation. Part 10: Transportation To get to Ghana, there is an international airport that visitors can fly in from anywhere in the world. Upon arrival, the infrastructure is remarkable. Road transport is mostly preferred by visitors who want to see the country at a closer glance. For those who wish to fly all the way, there are smaller airports built to suit these needs. We find it therefore that transport is no issue in Ghana. Part 11: Food and Drink The cuisine in Ghana’s’ Busua restaurant is mainly seafood where you are served lobsters, shrimps, or tuna. Busua inn is one that specializes in French cuisine and seafood but there are others that serve the regular food. African food is also served in this Busua inn where they specialize in making the same so that no one will ever want not to go back there. Generally, Ghana boasts of a variety of international restaurants for those who would like to be adventurous in the food business. Popular of the staple foods include fufu, banku and kenkey (Robinson & Dieke, 2011). In the Accra region, the main food served there is kenkey and banku. Each has its own soup to accommodate is as is served. Sunday afternoon specials include fried yams plus turkey tails. Beverages are among; ‘asana’ which is mostly called maize beer, liquor, coconut juice and palm wine. Towards the western region of Ghana, dishes include ‘Akyeke’ with fufu and some light soup with snails or mushrooms. To the central region, the main course is ‘fante dorkunu’. Beverages include coffee/tea, palm wine and coconut juice. The Volta region serves fufu with shrimps and banku also served with palm wine. The northern region serves ‘Tuo Zaafi’ rice balls or ‘Omo Tuo’ with soups being groundnuts or green leaves soup. Judging from these cuisines, we can tell that one can eat to their fill in Ghana and turn a visit into an eating spree. Ghanaians are proud of their heritage and that is what makes them a great people all together. They retain most of their traditions and observe then to the latter. The pride in their food as well as their history brings them together and much so attracts others to come and join in. through the blood, sweat and tears that they went through, Ghanaians now celebrate their freedom and are not willing to trade it for anything. In the light of this freedom, parties are held in these dungeons that once were the darkest of any nightmare for any African back in the day. The true value of life is in the seizing of moments that make us happy and embrace them with all the might that we can possibly master. This brings Ghana to life and as a result, tourism booms and the locals as well as the citizens get a taste of the returns. Part 12 Promotion of Ghana as a Destination There are quite a number of ways that can be used to promote Ghana as a tourist destination. For instance travel agencies may use brochures that clearly illustrate what tourists should expect when they visit Ghana (Karlya, 2012). The main characteristics of brochures are that they indicate the natural environment and other facilities such as transports. Brochures may also include some cultural aspects of a destination such as the various cultures expected, types of foods Marketing or promotion is one way of getting the word out to the public with regards to a particular product. Promotion becomes important especially when the target group is within reach and one is confident of its success. It is thus of paramount importance that tourism destinations be marketed as often as possible in order to ensure maximum returns on the investment (Richardson & Fluker, 2004). Ghana as a tourism destination is no stranger to this. As a result, there has been a creation of a ministry of tourism in the government to ensure that this is done to the maximum. Tourism can be a great source of revenue to the said country due to the foreign exchange involved. It benefits the country as well as the world due to culture preservation. To make a brochure, there a re various components involved. The se include; The promotional cover- must be the most attractive and should captivate the eye hence should be colorful. Displayed benefits- this must show the reader what he or she stands to gain upon reading the brochure. As for Ghana, tourism is one that there is much to gain from both as an individual and as a group. Options and prices- accuracy in pricing is paramount for the reader needs not go to a different place to search for information that your brochure would have easily given. Contact Information- this is vital and it includes; email address, fax number, telephone number, twitter handle and facebook page. This helps the reader to contact you directly if she or he has any query. Location and directions- maps are vital in order to show the reader that what you are actually selling exists. This boosts his confidence the project and could raise curiosity thus leading him or her to visiting the place as a result. Call to action-these are statements that tell the reader what to do like ’BUY NOW!’ they attract attention and could quite possibly generate a result. The brochure cover Location Details Place: Cape Coast Attraction: the sunny Biriwa Beach Location Details Place: Cape Coast Castle Attraction: A castle formerly used for slaves Location Details Place: Elmina Castle in Cape Coast Attraction: The castle’s design and the slavery history Location Details Place: Accra Attraction: Selling coconuts in the streets of Ghana List of References Dallen, T., 2009. Cultural Heritage and Tourism in the Developing World: A Regional Perspective. London: Taylor & Francis. Karlya, M., 2012. Ghana (Other Places Travel Guide). Accra: Other Places Publishing. Levy, P. & Wong, W., 2010. Ghana. Boston: Marshall Cavendish. Richardson, J. & Fluker, M., 2004.Understanding and managing tourism, 2nd edn, Melbourne: Pearson Education Australia. Robinson, P. & Dieke, P., 2011. Research Themes for Tourism. New York: CABI. Urry, J., 2002. The tourist gaze. SAGE Publications, London. Weaver, D. & Lawton, L., 2010. Tourism management 4th edition. Milton, Queensland:John Wiley & Sons. West African Archaeological Association, 2001. Heritage Resources. West African Journal of Archaeology. Vol. 31(1), 45-52. Read More