Tag: tourists

Local and international tourists perceive Ghana as expensive – Report

Ghana’s tourism landscape is under scrutiny, with findings from the 2023 Ghana Tourism Report shedding light on perceptions of affordability among tourists.

According to the report, a significant portion of both local and international visitors perceive Ghana as an expensive destination, contrasting with those who find it affordable.

Specifically, the report highlights that tourists from key source markets such as the US, UK, Nigeria, and domestic sources regard Ghana as very expensive or expensive. This perception poses challenges for Ghana’s tourism sector, especially concerning competitiveness with other destinations in the region.

The high cost of accommodation emerges as a prominent concern, with tourists allocating a substantial portion of their budgets to lodging expenses. Non-star rated facilities particularly witness elevated rates, impacting the overall attractiveness of Ghana as a tourist destination.

Furthermore, stakeholders in the tourism industry point to the complex tax structure as a significant factor contributing to high prices. With approximately 20 taxes and levies imposed on the sector, including NHIL, VAT, and COVID-19 levy, among others, the cost burden on tourism establishments remains substantial.

Despite these challenges, Ghana remains optimistic about its tourism prospects, aiming to increase international tourist arrivals significantly in the coming years. However, addressing the perception of high costs and enhancing competitiveness will be crucial in achieving these targets.

As Ghana continues to position itself as a leading tourism destination in West Africa, collaboration between industry stakeholders and policymakers will be essential in addressing the challenges highlighted in the report and unlocking the full potential of the country’s tourism sector.

May 13, 2024
Seven guys detained in India on suspicion of raping tourists in groups

Seven men have been arrested in India for allegedly raping a woman and attacking her husband. This case has brought attention to the widespread issue of sexual violence against women in the country.

On Saturday, the police said they arrested three men for the incident and are looking for four more.

Dumka’s Deputy Commissioner, Anjaneyulu Dodde, told the media on Tuesday that four more people have been arrested.

The police found a couple who had been traveling on a motorcycle from West Bengal to Nepal. They were found late on Friday by officers on patrol in Dumka district, Jharkhand state.

They went to the hospital, and the woman told the doctor that she had been raped.

The police know who the wanted suspects are and have put together a special team to investigate, according to Kherwar. It is not known if the three people who were arrested have a lawyer to help them.

The arrests happened because a couple who travel and make videos said on their Instagram that they were attacked in India with knives held to their throats. The woman was assaulted and taken to the hospital for DNA testing.

The couple writes in Spanish, and the woman says on her Instagram page that she is from Brazil.

The woman shared on her Instagram story that she has bruises on her face and said that even though her face looks hurt, it’s not the most painful part. “I thought I was going to pass away. ”

In another message on Sunday, the couple said thank you to their followers for their help and said they are okay. They also said the police are trying their best to catch the rest of the people involved.

India’s Women’s Commission expressed disapproval of the reported attack.

The head of NCW, Rekha Sharma, talked to the victim and gave them the help they needed. The organization shared this on social media on Saturday.

“If someone did something wrong, they won’t get away with it,” he said on Saturday.

India has been trying really hard for many years to deal with a lot of violence against women. Some cases of foreign visitors getting raped got a lot of attention from other countries and made the problem known worldwide.

In 2018, a British woman was said to have been raped while walking to her hotel in Goa, a popular place for tourists. Two years before that, an American woman was said to have been drugged and raped by a group of men in her five-star hotel room in New Delhi. In 2013, six men were given life sentences for raping a Swiss tourist together.

According to the National Crime Records Bureau in India, there were 31,516 cases of rape in 2022, which averages out to 86 cases per day.

Experts say there might be many more rape cases than we know about in a country where people feel ashamed and judged for being a victim of rape because it is a very male-dominated society.

March 5, 2024
Ghana’s tourist arrivals surge by 17.8% in Q3 2023 – BoG

The Bank of Ghana (BoG) has released data indicating a significant surge in tourist arrivals, recording 304,171 individuals in the third quarter of the current year.

This marks a notable increase from the 258,246 visitors recorded in 2022, reflecting an impressive annual growth rate of 17.8%. The central bank attributes this rise to a boost in tourism-related activities during the specified review period.

In contrast, a recent report from Joynews reveals a decline in international trade at Ghana’s principal harbors, Tema and Takoradi.

The decline is specifically observed in laden container traffic for both inbound and outbound containers during the third quarter of 2023.

The total container traffic witnessed a decrease of 2.1%, dropping from 158,514 in the second quarter of 2023 to 155,146.

“Total container traffic for inbound and outbound containers decreased by 2.1% to 155,146, from 158,514 recorded in Q2 2023,” the news portal said.

Analysts link this downturn in port activities to subdued international trade dynamics and point to ongoing geopolitical tensions as additional contributing factors during the review period.

December 18, 2023
Killed tourists were newlyweds from UK and South Africa – president of Uganda

The President of Uganda, Yoweri Museveni, expressed his disapproval of the murder of two tourists, who were on their honeymoon, and a guide by people believed to be terrorists connected to the Islamic beliefs.

Three people were murdered and their car was set on fire in the Queen Elizabeth National Park, which is next to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Mr Museveni said that the terrorists attacked innocent people and it was a sad event for the newly married couple who were visiting Uganda for their honeymoon.

It used to be called Twitter.

The tourists came from the United Kingdom and South Africa. Their guide was from Uganda.

Mr Museveni said that the killings were done by some people from a group called the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). He said that this group is a small group of terrorists who are trying to hide from us in Congo.

On Sunday, he mentioned that Ugandan forces attacked and destroyed four ADF bases in DR Congo by using airstrikes. However, he also mentioned that some militants were attempting to go back into Uganda.

The president explained that the recent attack occurred because of a few mistakes made in dealing with the remaining threats.

The Uganda Wildlife Authority protected tourists while they were in the park. But it seems that the tourists were coming and going by themselves. “They took advantage of this gap,” he said.

He expressed his sympathy to the families of the victims, stating that the country’s UK office would provide assistance to the families of the couple who were killed.

Mr Museveni said that the Ugandan security authorities will make sure not to repeat these errors and completely eliminate the ADF.

October 18, 2023
Greece offers free trips to Rhodes to individuals displaced by wildfires

There has been compensation granted to the thousands of tourists who had to leave Rhodes due to destructive wildfires.

In July, large portions of the Greek island were consumed by flames that raged for days, severely damaging hotels and residences.

The inferno started on July 18 in the centre of Rhodes, but due to high winds, it quickly moved to the east and south shores, which are home to many beach resorts.

Over 7,500 acres of land were burned, forcing more than 20,000 tourists and residents to hastily pack their bags and flee the depressing images.

Rhodes entered a state of “extreme danger” emergency as a result of the wildfires and the 44C temperature spike.

In the end, it meant that many individuals had their holidays cut short among the bloodshed.

However, the Greek prime minister is now pleading with visitors to return the following year by offering them a free one-week stay.

According to Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who spoke to ITV, “For all those whose vacation was cut short as a result of wildfires, the Greek government in collaboration with local authorities will offer one week of free holidays on Rhodes, next spring, next fall, so that we can ensure they come back to the island and enjoy its natural beauty.”

According to him, 15% of Rhodes was impacted by the wildfires, and while things are now “back to normal,” the authorities “understand that it caused some inconvenience for visitors.”

Ranch owner Lee Manning of the United Kingdom joined the volunteers helping to save animals as he drove through a wildfire that was threatening to consume his refuge.

Shortly after flames approached within 300 metres of the gorgeous horseback riding facility he and his wife Katie maintain in the village of Gennadi, he sent an emotional video message.

He stated in the video, wiping away tears, “Gennadi is in a really bad way; the locals have been amazing, and that’s island-wide; that’s not just Gennadi, that’s everywhere.”

The locals are the only reason visitors and locals alike are safe on this island.

They have been incredible, I’ve never seen anything like it, and right now there are soldiers risking their life for people’s homes they don’t even know

The locals have suffered a disastrous knock-on impact as a result of the flames, which have destroyed livelihoods and businesses.

In order to contain the fires and aid in the rescue of any trapped animals, firefighters and rescuers have worked nonstop.

The actual extent of the destruction caused by the fires on the land was revealed by satellite photographs.

Wildfires in the Mediterranean, according to Mr. Mitsotakis, are not uncommon, but climate change has made them more intense.

In addition, according to a preliminary analysis of the effects of the flames, Greek officials said on Wednesday that 45 buildings had been damaged on the island.

Greece’s economy, which recovered from a fiscal crisis in 2018, is primarily driven by tourism, and Rhodes, the ninth-largest island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, is a well-liked vacation destination.

August 3, 2023
Tourists punished for taking selfies with dingos

Following a recent wave of vicious assaults, Australian officials fined two visitors who took selfies with dingoes more than $1,500 each for making the “extremely dangerous decision” to connect with the local wild dogs.

The two women were fortunate not to have been attacked in the separate events on the well-liked tourist island of K’gari, formerly known as Fraser Island, according to a statement released on Friday by Queensland Department of Environment and Science compliance manager Mike Devery.

A 29-year-old unidentified New South Wales lady was pictured resting near to a group of sleeping dingo puppies in a department photo. She was fortunate that the pups’ mother wasn’t close by, according to Devery.

The other tourist, a 25-year-old Queensland woman, appeared in a selfie video posted to social media that showed her with a growling dingo, “which was clearly exhibiting dominance-testing behaviour,” he said.

“It is not playful behaviour. Wongari are wild animals and need to be treated as such, and the woman is lucky the situation did not escalate,” he added, referring to dingoes by their indigenous name.

In an update Friday, the department said a 23-year-old woman was hospitalized with serious injuries to her arms and legs after she was bitten by dingoes while jogging on an island beach Monday.

Tourists Shane and Sarah Moffat jumped in to rescue her, CNN affiliate Nine News reported.

“There was a big piece missing out of her arm there and there was puncture wounds all up the side of her legs,” Shane Moffat told Nine News.

The leader of that dingo pack was later euthanized, the department said. It had also been involved in recent biting incidents that led to the hospitalization of a 6-year-old girl, the department said.

“It was also clear from its behaviour that it had become habituated, either by being fed or from people interacting with it for videos and selfies,” the update said.

“Our number one priority is to keep people on K’gari safe and conserve the population of wongari (dingoes), and those who blatantly ignore the rules for social media attention can expect a fine or a court appearance,” Devery said.

July 21, 2023
British tourists dive into water as large fire destroys wooden boat

The wooden ship that was carrying a group of anxious tourists caught fire and caused them to jump overboard.

The boat caught fire off the Greek island of Rhodes on Thursday, leaving 82 passengers—including British tourists—running for their lives. The boat was only 300 yards from land.

Families and little children jumped into the water as the deck was quickly destroyed by the raging inferno within minutes.

Pictures of the incident were horrifying, showing huge flames engulfing the entire boat as thick, black smoke rose into the sky.

Some escapees swam back to shore on Stegna beach in the town of Archangelos, while others piled into rescue boats that came to their aid.

Greek coast guard officials said everyone on board was eventually brought to safety before the ruins of the destroyed ship sank.

But witnesses say many were left ‘traumatised’ by the incident which saw a nine-year-old girl and 50-year-old woman suffer minor burn injuries, according to local reports.

The child and woman were taken to hospital but doctors say their condition isn’t serious.

Shaun Williams, an aircraft engineer from St Ives, Cornwall, said he was on a boat trip with his family while on holiday when the fire broke out.

The 55-year-old said they were about half an hour into the trip when they stopped near Stegna beach, off the east coast of Rhodes, to go snorkelling.

He told MailOnline: ‘We were on the top deck and the crew started shouting but we could not understand. We then saw the smoke.

‘The crew tried to fight the fire but the boat was made of wood and the fire grew quickly.’

Mr Williams said there was ‘a lot of panic’ with families with young children on board and the captain of the boat told everyone to ‘get in the sea’ after the crew handed out life jackets.

‘We all jumped in and I would say within a minute or two the place we had been standing was fully ablaze,’ he said.

A number of boats in the area came to their rescue and took the evacuated passengers back to shore, according to Mr Williams.

He added: ‘We had no injuries but my nine-year-old son was traumatised for some time.’

Emergency services, including firefighters, were called to the scene immediately after the fire broke out.

Stunned bystanders watched on in horror from the beach, with the huge smoke clouds out at sea clearly visible.

Greece’s Central Port Authority said it would take measures to deal with the marine pollution after the boat sank.

Greek authorities confirmed that fortunately no passengers were seriously hurt and were later transferred to their hotels by bus.

Last month, at least 78 people were killed after a boat capsized with 700 people on board.

July 2, 2023
Three Britons displaced after boat fire in Egypt

Three British tourists are missing after a fire on board a boat during a sea cruise in the Egyptian Red Sea.

Twenty-four other people, including 12 Britons, were rescued from the boat, called Hurricane, which was off the coast of Marsa Alam, authorities said.

They added that initial reports suggested the fire was the result of an electrical fault.

The boat had been on a dive cruise and had left Port Ghalib on 6 June and had been due to return on Sunday.

Local authorities said 15 British passengers had been on board along with 10 crew members and two guides.

The Red Sea Governorate said initial examinations had found an electrical short circuit in the engine room, while the public prosecution office had begun an investigation.

All of those who had been rescued were said to be well.

The Red Sea is a popular resort for diving trips.

“This is really bad news for the tourism industry,” said BBC News correspondent Sally Nabil Nabil. “They depend on tourism, particularly British tourism.”

The Foreign Office said it was supporting British nationals involved.

A spokesman said: “We are in contact with local authorities following an incident aboard a dive boat near Marsa Alam, and are supporting British nationals involved.”

June 11, 2023
A large fire starts in Benidorm not far from a well-known British tourist resort

Following the blaze, which broke out on Tuesday at 4 p.m., huge plumes of thick, black smoke can be seen from every part of the city.

Tourists saw the fire spread horrified from their balconies.

According to Spanish media, the fires tore through many plots in the Armanello neighbourhood close to the Pueblo de Benidorm market.

The smoke was visible from across the city (Picture: Solarpix)

The fire broke out on Tuesday afternoon (Picture: Solarpix)

It started in an open area close to some nightclubs littered with abandoned mattresses and other rubbish.

No injuries have been reported so far.

The Provincial Fire Consortium of Alicante said the fire is still active but contained.

Water-carrying planes and helicopters were scrambled in addition to more than a dozen fire crews.

May 17, 2023
COVID-19: Japan set to remove travel restrictions for tourists

After having its borders closed due to the Covid pandemic for more than two years, Japan will once again welcome international travellers.

Starting on October 11, visitors won’t require a visa and won’t have to go via a travel agency to enter the nation.

A cap on daily arrivals will also be lifted.

Japan’s announcement comes at around the same time Taiwan and Hong Kong also relaxed entry rules for visitors.

Taiwan will drop quarantine requirements for international arrivals by mid-October, while Hong Kong on Friday said it would move from hotel quarantine to stay-at-home requirements from 26 September.

For Japan, the anticipated influx of travelers will be a welcome boost to government and local businesses and comes as the Japanese yen has slid to its slowest point against the US dollar in six months.

“Japan will relax border control measures to be on par with the US,” said Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

The country has allowed visitors since June, but they had to be part of tours.

Mr Kishida also announced a domestic travel incentive scheme that will give discounts on travel, theme park prices, sporting events, and concerts. Japanese residents and citizens will be eligible for an 11,000 yen (£69; $77) subsidy.

Similar programmes have been introduced in other countries re-openings to encourage locals to spend and stimulate the economy. However, like elsewhere, the rise in the cost of living has been a dominant concern for locals.

The world’s third-largest economy was one of the last Asian powerhouses to keep its borders closed due to Covid health concerns.

Its death rate is the lowest among the world’s wealthiest nations, while the country’s vaccination rate is among the highest.

Japan also never mandated lockdowns or mask-wearing, but many locals readily adopted protections.

Japan saw nearly 32 million foreigners visit in 2019, the last year prior to the pandemic. And the restrictions on travellers in recent months had precluded many foreigners from visiting, reports showed.

September 23, 2022