BY Grace Zigah
The Bank of Ghana has revealed that passenger arrivals at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) declined by 10.3% on a year-on-year basis to 98,146 in March 2025.
This represents a significant drop from the 109,380 arrivals recorded in the same period last year.
However, on a month-on-month basis, tourist arrivals increased by 2.2%.
First Quarter Performance
For the first quarter of 2025, the total number of arrivals recorded at the international airport and land borders was 295,415.
This represents a decline of 4.1% compared to the 308,024 arrivals recorded in the corresponding period in 2024.
Ports and Harbours Activity
In contrast to the decline in tourist arrivals, international trade at the country’s two main harbours (Tema and Takoradi) improved during the period under review. Total container traffic increased by 22.0% (year-on-year) to 73,577 in March 2025.
In cumulative terms, total container traffic for the first quarter of 2025 went up by 20.5% to 205,145 year-on-year.
Economic Implications
The decline in tourist arrivals at KIA may have implications for the economy, particularly in the tourism sector. However, the increase in container traffic at the ports suggests that other sectors of the economy are performing well.
The government and stakeholders will need to analyze the factors contributing to the decline in tourist arrivals and develop strategies to boost the sector.
