Hon. Julius Debrah, Chief of Staff and Special Guest of Honour,

Hon. Ablah Dzifa Gomashie, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts,

Hon. Yusif Jajah, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts,

Deputy Chief Executive Officers of the Ghana Tourism Authority,

Distinguished Guests, Members of the Diplomatic Corps,

Industry Stakeholders, Awardees,

Friends from the Media,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good evening.

Ghana’s story is one of creativity, resilience, and pride and tonight, that story takes centre stage. We gather to celebrate the men and women whose brilliance and hard work continue to elevate our nation’s tourism, hospitality, and creative-arts industries.

This year’s theme, “Celebrating Ghanaian Ingenuity and Excellence in Tourism: The Black Star Experience,” reminds us that our greatest strength lies in our people their ability to turn imagination into enterprise and challenges into opportunity.

Resetting Ghana: A New Era for Tourism

Hon. Chief of Staff, we are living in a moment of renewal one that echoes President John Dramani Mahama’s vision of Resetting Ghana: resetting our economy, institutions, and mindset for a new era of innovation, inclusion, and integrity. At the Ghana Tourism Authority, we have embraced this call with purpose. We are not just rebuilding tourism we are redefining it. We are digitizing, greening, training, and creating a tourism ecosystem that is smarter, cleaner, and globally competitive.

Digitization: The New Tourism Frontier

We have launched the Ghana Tourism Information System, an integrated digital suite making tourism operations seamless and transparent.

Through this platform:

• Businesses can apply for and renew licenses online.

• The Levy Portal enables establishments to file and pay levies effortlessly.

• The Tourism Business Manager helps operators manage guest data, track expenses, and improve efficiency.

Soon, we will unveil the Experience Ghana App, a one-stop consumer platform where visitors can browse, book, and pay for services with one touch. And for those exploring from afar, Virtual Ghana will let the world experience our destinations through immersive virtual reality. With this digital foundation, tourism in Ghana is resetting with a new direction, a new rhythm, and a new spirit.

Empowering People, Elevating Service

Transformation begins with people. That’s why GTA has designed a Master Training Module for hotels, restaurants, chefs, tour guides, and event professionals. This nationwide training will redefine service excellence, setting a new standard for warmth, professionalism, and pride.

Hon. Chief of Staff, I am delighted to announce that, through our partnership with Tribe, GTA is collaborating with Rutgers University in New Jersey, USA, to deliver professional training for tourism stakeholders. This initiative will build skills, enhance service quality, and strengthen operational capacity across hotels, tour operators, and event management professionals reinforcing Ghana’s global competitiveness in tourism.

Service excellence is the soul of tourism. That’s why we’re not just training people we’re inspiring a new service culture grounded in pride and professionalism.

In line with this, I call on all Regional Directors of the Ghana Tourism Authority to enforce quality standards in their regions, ensuring that every tourism experience in Ghana from hotels to tour operators, events, and cultural sites meets the highest levels of professionalism, service, and product quality. Our success as a destination depends on the excellence of every experience we offer. We are also deepening partnerships with industry associations hotels, restaurants, and tour operators to strengthen operations and expand access to funding, mentorship, and business growth tools.

Sustainability and the Green Agenda

In alignment with the President’s Green Ghana Agenda, we are championing sustainability in tourism. Hon. Minister, as CEO, I acknowledge concerns about high hotel rates relative to other preferred tourist destinations. Together with my team, we are securing funding to help facilities adopt solar power and develop eco-lodges, reducing costs and promoting environmentally responsible growth.

This initiative also supports the MICE sector Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions boosting Ghana’s attractiveness as a destination. Every solar panel, every eco-lodge, every green initiative is an investment not just in tourism, but in the generations that will inherit this land.

Sports Tourism: A Powerful Connector

Sports unites us beyond borders.

Ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, the Ghana Tourism Authority is partnering with the US Embassy in Ghana, the Canadian High Commission, the Mexican High Commission, and Tribe, alongside other diplomatic missions who have expressed interest. The UAE and Saudi embassies are also supporting this initiative.

Through this collaboration, official watch parties will be hosted across all 16 regions of Ghana throughout the entire duration of the World Cup, showcasing Ghanaian hospitality, music, and culture to local and international audiences.

By projecting Ghana’s energy and warmth nationwide, we reinforce our reputation as Africa’s hub of unity, excitement, and international hospitality, while promoting tourism, cultural exchange, and community engagement on a national scale.

Creative Arts: Ghana’s Voice to the World

Through partnerships such as Columbus Artway Inc. in the United States, we are positioning Ghana’s creative talent on the global stage.

This collaboration opens pathways for artistic exchange, film production, and cultural storytelling reaffirming that the creative economy is Ghana’s next great export.

In addition, through our partnership with Tribe, GTA will be opening offices in three states in the United States. These offices will serve as hubs for tourism promotion, business development, and diaspora engagement, ensuring that Ghanaian culture, hospitality, and tourism investment reach a wider international audience.

December in GH: The Global Homecoming

As the year draws to a close, all roads lead to Ghana. December in GH has evolved into Africa’s ultimate homecoming a celebration of culture, fashion, music, cuisine, and identity. This year’s edition promises to be our most vibrant yet a joyful convergence of Ghanaian and diaspora creativity, reaffirming our role as the heartbeat of African hospitality.

The Mansa Musa Project: A Legacy for Generations

And now, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to close with a vision that defines Ghana’s bold new chapter The Mansa Musa Project. Inspired by Africa’s most iconic symbol of wealth and wisdom, this project represents Ghana’s audacious step into creative investment, heritage tourism, and cultural diplomacy on a grand scale.

Through partnerships across the United States Las Vegas, New York, Atlanta, Chicago, and Columbus we are building platforms to showcase Ghana’s arts, fashion, entrepreneurship, and innovation to global audiences and investors.

The Mansa Musa Project is not just a program; it is a movement reclaiming Africa’s narrative and projecting Ghana as the continent’s creative capital.

“When we tell our story boldly, the world listens.

When we lead with culture, the world follows.”

Through Mansa Musa and the new GTA offices in the U.S., we are igniting imagination, turning creativity into capital, and positioning Ghana as the beacon of Africa’s cultural renaissance.

Conclusion: The Black Star Experience

So tonight, as we celebrate excellence, let us also embrace renewal the resetting of Ghana. Let us tell our story with pride and purpose. Let us build an industry that uplifts our people and captivates the world. Because when Ghana shines, Africa shines. And when Ghana leads, the world follows. Congratulations to our award winners, partners, and stakeholders. Together, we celebrate the Black Star Experience a story of passion, ingenuity, and progress.

Thank you, and enjoy the evening