The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) recorded a significant decline in total income in 2025, with revenue falling by 18.6%, largely due to a sharp reduction in government funding.
According to the 2025 State Ownership Report, the Authority’s total income declined from GH¢71.57 million in 2024 to GH¢58.26 million in 2025.
The decline was largely attributed to a substantial reduction in Government of Ghana (GoG) grants, which fell from GH¢43.98 million in 2024 to GH¢21.39 million in 2025.
Although the GTA’s other income increased from GH¢27.59 million to GH¢36.87 million, the growth was insufficient to offset the reduction in government grants.
The report further indicated that the Authority recorded zero internally generated funds (IGF) in both 2024 and 2025, raising concerns about its capacity to independently generate revenue and reduce its reliance on external funding.
Expenditure Also Declines
The fall in income was accompanied by a reduction in the GTA’s total expenditure.
Total expenditure declined from GH¢78.09 million in 2024 to GH¢59.26 million in 2025, representing a 24.11% reduction.
The reduction was driven largely by a sharp decline in service activity expenses, which fell from GH¢36.60 million to GH¢12.17 million.
Personnel costs, however, increased during the same period, rising from GH¢29.25 million to GH¢33.64 million.
The figures suggest that personnel-related costs remained relatively high despite the reduction in the Authority’s overall operational expenditure.
Deficit Narrows Despite Revenue Decline
The GTA remained in deficit in both years, although the deficit narrowed considerably from GH¢6.52 million in 2024 to GH¢0.99 million in 2025.
The report indicates that the improvement was driven largely by expenditure reductions rather than significant growth in revenue.
The Authority’s net margin also improved from negative 9.12% in 2024 to negative 1.71% in 2025.
Despite the improvement, the assessment described the GTA as structurally loss-making and financially dependent on external funding.
Rising Personnel Cost Ratio
Another concern highlighted in the report is the increase in the GTA’s personnel cost ratio.
Personnel costs accounted for 40.88% of total income in 2024, but this increased significantly to 57.73% in 2025.
The development suggests that a larger share of the Authority’s reduced income is being absorbed by salaries and related personnel expenses, potentially limiting its operational flexibility.
Implications for Tourism Development
The financial figures raise broader questions about the sustainability of the GTA’s current funding and revenue model, particularly given its central role in regulating, promoting and developing Ghana’s tourism industry.
The Authority’s mandate includes the regulation, supervision, promotion and development of tourism enterprises and destinations across the country.
Established under the Tourism Act, 2011 (Act 817), the GTA is tasked with contributing to the development of a sustainable and competitive tourism sector through destination development, partnerships, innovation and inclusive participation.
With government grants falling significantly and internally generated funds remaining at zero, the latest figures could intensify discussions about how the Authority can strengthen its independent revenue streams while maintaining its core regulatory and promotional responsibilities.
The figures also highlight the need for a closer examination of the GTA’s expenditure structure, revenue-generation strategies and long-term financial sustainability as Ghana seeks to position tourism as a stronger contributor to economic growth.
