Flight! Arguably the fastest and most reliable form of transport. It allows you travel from one end of the equator to the other in a few hours or days.
Try going from Ghana to China by road and you might probably have to negotiate a full year before you get there. It is for these reasons that many international travellers prefer to fly when they are going on vacations or travel for other reasons. One very important industry which is affected by the aviation industry is Tourism.
Without air travel, tourism will take a massive hit and there will be rippling effects on the nation’s GDP and economy. Jumia Travel, Africa’s leading online hotel booking portal which also recently launched flight services as part of it’s operations, takes a dive into some of the effects that the aviation industry has on Tourism in Ghana.
The black Star of Africa, a pacesetter in democracy and a fast developing tourist hub in Africa with it’s rich culture and tradition, has become a very attractive destination for many tourists worldwide. With current figures released by the Ghana Tourism Authority indicating that an estimated 4 million international visitors are projected to arrive in the country by 2027, the aviation industry is on hand to massively impact Tourism in this country. However, the big question remains. Why would someone want to book a plane ticket to Ghana?
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The aviation industry but more specifically the airline companies keep growing by the day. Now, almost every airline company that flies to other parts of Africa, also flies to Ghana. Availability however is the least problem or challenge that affects tourist travels into Ghana. Many tourists or travellers when planning a vacation to Ghana, consider the prices of flight tickets, airport charges etc before they finally decide. The higher the costs, the lower the chances are that a particular tourist will travel. The reliability of the airline also contributes greatly.
Many international tourists will rather choose a well structured airline where they are very confident of security, comfort and affordable pricing than to go for the unknown. In Ghana, such flights are few. The most popular ones keep growing and there is a great need to add other top airline chains and companies to ease the pressure on these airlines. The more reliable airlines we get, the greater the number of foreign visitors which is good for the Tourism industry because there will be more tourist visits, more tourist spending and more referrals for others to come taste the ‘’ sweetness of Ghana.
Alternatively, the existence of online travel agencies make it very easy for tourists to book flights and even hotels at discounted rates by the click of a few buttons. A tourist can just compare flights and book hotels on the same page. The ease with which they can secure a flight and also book a hotel will go a long way to encourage them to travel.
There is a massive wind blowing in the aviation industry in Ghana with lot’s of positives and developments. The impact of this wind on the tourism industry is expected to have a cross effect on the aviation industry too, as more tourists would want to visit Ghana and hence will need to book a flight.
In the end, all efforts need to be channeled in boosting both sectors as a rise in one triggers the development of the other.
Credit : Bennet Otoo, Jumia Travel
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Best Regards.