Ghana’s growing reputation as a hub for culture-driven tourism received a major boost at the Afro Gastro Festival. This celebration blends food, music, and heritage to promote African creativity and economic empowerment.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Afro Gastro Festival on Friday in Accra, the Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts, Madam Abla Dzifa Gomashie, stated that the initiative aims to utilise food as a means of cultural exchange, tourism promotion, and economic empowerment.
According to her, the festival represents a strategic effort to nurture a new generation of chefs and innovators who will redefine African gastronomy on the global stage.
“Through creativity, training, and collaboration, we can elevate Ghanaian cuisine to the global stage while empowering our youth and local communities,” the minister said.
She noted that Ghana’s partnership with culinary institutions, hospitality schools, and local farmers forms part of a long-term strategy to integrate gastronomy into the country’s tourism and creative economy sectors.
She stated that the global culinary industry is worth several trillions of dollars, an opportunity Ghana must seize through innovation and strategic investment.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Development Company (GTDC), Professor Kobby Mensah, described the Afro Gastro Festival as a “cultural dialogue” that deepens the bond between Africa and its diaspora.
He explained that the Afro Gastro Festival continues the legacy of initiatives such as Panafest and The Year of Return, which encouraged Africans in the diaspora to reconnect with their roots.
“We invite our diaspora home once again, not just to visit, but to taste, to share, to learn, and to heal,” he said.
On his part, the UNESCO Ghana Representative, Mr Edmond Moukala N’Gouemo, praised the festival as a “visionary model for sustainable cultural development,” adding that it aligns with Ghana’s shift toward a 24-hour economy driven by culture, creativity, and innovation.
He argued that African cuisine carries both historical and economic value, describing it as “a living archive of migration, adaptation, and resilience.”
He urged the public to access heritage sites, museums, and cultural centres around the clock as part of Ghana’s evolving 24-hour economy agenda, noting that such an approach would deepen public engagement while stimulating tourism, education, and sustainable economic activity across Africa.
The Afro Gastro Festival forms part of Ghana’s broader effort to promote the creative arts and cultural tourism as key pillars of economic transformation, following successful initiatives like The Year of Return and Beyond the Return.
Irene Wirekoaa Osei, ISD
