Welcome

PRELIMINARY
1. Requirement for a definition of tourism:
Before a suitable and acceptable definition can be given to this heading certain considerations are to be made. For a venture to be recognized as tourism it should satisfy the following requirements.
I. Movement:
Movement should be made from the “ORIGIN” (that is the place of residence of the traveler)to a “FOREIGN DESTINATION”(that is, outside the traveler’s locality.

II.Duration:
     The duration of travel should be between 24 hours and a year.

III.Activities:
Activities involved in the travel should not earn the individual a direct income. For example , even though people offering hospitality services for tourists live there for more than 24 hours, the indirect income from their activities do not qualify them to be tourists.

DEFINITION OF TOURISM
Tourism therefore, is a travel from one’s place of residence to a foreign destination which lasts for 24 hours or more but does not exceed 1 year in which the individual does not gain direct income.

CLASSIFICATION OF TOURISM


Tourism can therefore be structured into 3 groups according to;

1. Classification based on Location of the site
Domestic tourism
This is when travels are made to destinations within the tourist’s own country.
International tourism.
This is when travels are made to destinations outside the tourist’s home country.

2. Classification based on Activities involved
  The purpose of the tour also gives a baseline for classification. Under this heading tourism can be classified under the following.

Sports tourism
These involves activities such hiking in mountainous regions such Mt. Afadjato in the Volta Region of Ghana and horse-back riding along the Kokrobite Beach in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.

Business tourism(Conference tourism)
Business conferences do not earn the individual a direct income; however participants can tour places of interest before, during or after the program. In Ghana ,the government realised the need to develop certain tourist sites before the conference of the Non-Aligned Movement held in Accra. The government of Ghana perceived the desire of the participants in touring the rich tourist sites in Ghana and made provision for it. This propelled a move in developing tourism in Ghana. Structures like the Accra International Conference Centre, were built to host the conference. This also led to the building of hotel accommodation at places near tourist sites such as the Elmina Beach Resort in Elmina in the Central Region of Ghana which was built because of the Elmina Castle at the same location. 

Health Tourism
  Health tourism a new trend in the industry, provides customers with services which refresh the mind, releasing stress and sets the mind on a good tone for work. Activities offered in this sector also put the body in shape for active work.
  The Holy Trinity Spar and Health Farm in Sogakofe in the Volta Region of Ghana provide its customers with services such as massages, sauna baths, horse back riding and aerobics.    
  

Educational Tourism

Human nature has a strong desire to explore and learn more about his surroundings and happenings in other communities. Tourist from the Caribbean, Canada, U.S.A., U.K., etc.
Visit Ghana to know about the slave trade. Then move to various forts and castles in search of information. This creates the avenue for them to tour these sites. For example during the Panafest (Pan African National Festival) and Emancipation celebrations, tourists from all over the world come to learn about the history of slave trade in Ghana.
    
Leisure Tourism
Ghana serves as a suitable site for leisure tourism. A tourist can embark on a visit which will highly characterized by leisure. During his or her leisure time, the tourist can go in for bird or butterfly watching, view various arts and crafts or engage in activities which help relax his or her mind after a hectic work schedule. Sites such as the Wechiau Hippopotamus Sanctuary, located at the extreme North- Western corner of the Upper West region, serves as an avenue for hippopotamus, bird and butterfly watching.
One can also interact with monkeys at the Boabeng Fiema monkey sanctuary in the Borng-Ahafo Region near Kintampo and Nkoranza in Ghana.

Situational Tourism
Ghana has developed a new type of tourism which is catching up with the whole wide world. This is situational tourism. For instance there is going to be an eclipse of the sun on March 29th this year. The government has already sent information of this event to the whole world and this promises to bring a lot of tourist to the country.  

3.       The type of environment
    The environment conditions in a tourist site determine the type of tourist activities which can be undertaken there. The   environment is a determinant of the type of tourism which occurs there. Under this heading are the following types of tourism.

Rural Tourism
Most of Ghana’s tourist sites are located in the rural communities. Tourist activities which take place there are called Rural Tourism.

Adventure Tourism
    People take time off there busy schedules to explore other communities of the world. The individual goes through a spine-tingling journey at different places. At the Kakum National Park in the Central Region of Ghana, tourist goes through a series of events like: Hiking, walking through the wild and walking on the canopy walkway in the centre of the forest. The individual therefore understands adventure by touring through such places.

Eco-Tourism
The efforts of the Ministry Of Tourism and Modernization of The Capital City are geared toward developing tourist sites which will help conserve the environment. This heading is a combination of the ecosystem with tourism. The ecology should be a natural stable unit in which organisms interact with each other and form a self supporting system. This type of tourism is therefore aimed at providing a stable situation for both man and his environment.
  Certain tourist sites in Ghana serve as a measure in conserving our natural resources. The TANO SACRED GROOVE in the Brong Ahafo region of Ghana on the Techiman Tamale Highway, the BUNSO ARBORETUM FOREST RESERVE off the Accra- Kumasi High way in the Eastern Region of Ghana.

Space Tourism
In recent times, people have made travels to explore space. This is not common among Ghanaians but it is of considerable interest in the development of tourism.

Urban Tourism
Tourism in our urban areas are more of structural forms than natural reserves. Ghana can boast of many historical structures such as Forts, Castles, Government buildings, etc.