GTDC opens first campus tourism Office at University of Ghana | By Eugene Davis
The decision by the Ghana Tourism Development Company to establish a campus office at the University of Ghana marks what officials describe as a deliberate attempt to reposition academic spaces as viable tourism assets.
For its chief executive, Kobby Mensah, the move grew out of a simple but strategic question: how to properly coordinate and package tourism opportunities that already exist on campus.
Discussions with the university’s Public Affairs Directorate, the Dean of Students and faculty members — including colleagues in archaeology — revealed a shared interest in curating the campus experience more deliberately. The result is a dedicated GTDC presence to organise, market and monetise these assets in a structured way.
Among the ideas under consideration is opening up the university’s iconic tower, subject to council approval, to offer panoramic views of Accra — including its night skyline and flight paths. Prof Mensah describes it as a potential extension of the visitor experience that would add a distinctive urban dimension to campus tours.
Yet the ambition extends well beyond a single attraction. The campus hosts the archaeology museum, the Institute of African Studies museum, a vibrant Department of Performing Arts known for theatre and dance productions, advanced science laboratories and a distinctive tropical architectural landscape. According to Prof Mensah, a curated visit could span up to five hours.
“There is more than enough content here,” he said. “What we need is coordination, packaging and a deliberate strategy.”
The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, framed the initiative as both economic and symbolic.
“The establishment of the campus tourism office by the GTDC in partnership with the University of Ghana represents a deliberate investment in the intellectual capital of our nation,” she said, arguing that tourism must be embedded within academic life — from economics and environmental science to theatre, history and entrepreneurship.
The Vice-Chancellor, Nana Aba Appiah Anfo, described the university as a custodian of heritage whose assets should not only be studied but experienced. The partnership, she said, connects theoretical knowledge with living history and aligns with the university’s institutional identity.
Beyond symbolism, the economic case is clear. Campus tourism broadens Ghana’s visitor offering at a time when the country is seeking to deepen tourism receipts and extend average visitor stays. A structured campus experience could complement heritage circuits in Cape Coast and Elmina, business travel in Accra and diaspora-focused initiatives.
The immediate impact would be incremental revenue — tour fees, events, merchandising and hospitality services — but the multiplier effects could be wider. Student-led enterprises, tour guiding services, creative performances and research exhibitions would create part-time employment and entrepreneurial pathways. Corporate bookings and academic conferences could further stimulate the hospitality and transport sectors.
At a national level, the initiative signals a pivot toward knowledge and cultural tourism — segments that typically attract higher-spending visitors and encourage repeat travel. By positioning a leading university as a destination, Ghana strengthens its brand not only as a heritage hub, but as a centre of intellectual and cultural capital in West Africa.
If replicated across other tertiary institutions, the model could formalise an untapped niche within the tourism value chain. For Prof Mensah, the premise is straightforward: the infrastructure and heritage already exist.
“The opportunity is here,” he said. “It is about organising it properly and presenting it confidently to Ghana and the world.”
GTDC opens first campus tourism Office at University of Ghana |
