This archive report was first published on 10 January 2020.
On December 31, 2019, Ghana marked the end of the Year of Return, a year-long event that celebrated the return of the descendants of the first enslaved Africans. The campaign generated a significant $1.9 billion for the country's economy.
The influx of tourists, who flocked to Ghana to commemorate the occasion, contributed to this figure. According to Graphic Online, a total of 750,000 diaspora residents visited the country during this period.
The tourists spent money on air travel, hotel accommodation, transport fares, and entertainment events, thereby boosting the economy. Ghana's Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs. Barbara Oteng-Gyasi, attributed the success of the campaign to the increased bookings for tours at the Cape Coast and Elmina Castles, which saw a 100% occupancy rate in the last week of November.
Additionally, the Heroes Garden has been transformed into a Memorial Garden of Return to further boost tourism. The Year of Return campaign was a significant event that celebrated the return of the descendants of the first enslaved Africans from James Town in Accra to James town in Virginia in the United States of America.
