Ghanaian broadcaster Ken Addy has observed that many Ghanaians were previously unaware of attractions such as the Asenema Waterfalls and the Shea Butter Museum, and it took a foreign visitor to bring these hidden gems to national attention.

Speaking on the ShowBizAtoZ panel discussion hosted by Kwame Dadzie, Ken Addy questioned why it took a foreigner visiting Ghana to reveal these sites to the very people who live around them. He also used the opportunity to call for a renewed focus on promoting domestic tourism.

“I come from Akropong-Akwapim, and surprisingly, many people there didn’t even know about the Asenema Waterfalls at Adukrom,” he said. “The question I keep asking is, did it really have to take a foreigner to come to our country and expose these places to us, just like what happened with the Hamamat parlor?”

Ken Addy noted that after the visit went viral, many Ghanaians took to social media to express shock, with several saying they had no idea such places existed. According to him, this raises serious questions about how well Ghanaians promote and appreciate their own tourist sites, and whether it is time for a more deliberate effort to highlight local attractions for Ghanaians themselves. 

Writer: Frederick Nortey