Title: A missed opportunity? Unravelling the marketing potentials of tourism in Ghana through GIS

Authors: Fatima Eshun; Alex Barimah Owusu; George Owusu; Ebenezer Forkuo Amankwaa

Addresses: Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana, P.O.Box LG 59 Legon - Accra, Ghana ' Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana, P.O.Box LG 59 Legon - Accra, Ghana ' Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana, P.O.Box LG 59 Legon - Accra, Ghana ' Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana, P.O.Box LG 59 Legon - Accra, Ghana

Abstract: The marketing and promotion of tourist sites through modern technologies such as geographic information system (GIS) and dynamic web technologies are slow in developing countries. This paper explores the potential of GIS in marketing tourism and examines how this can influence tourists' destination choice. The study mapped 41 tourist destination spots and ranked 10 of them. The study finds that the middle belt of Ghana has the highest diversity of tourist attractions. The spatial mapping revealed that nine of the 10 most visited destinations are located in Southern Ghana with the remaining in Northern Ghana. This finding is useful in guiding policy-makers towards enacting policies that will boost sustainable tourism in the south while effectively developing the potentials of the north. The study recommends the development and adoption of competitive marketing strategy using geospatial tools directed at meeting the needs of global tourist while integrating local participation.

Keywords: tourism marketing; information technology; segmentation; tourist attractions; marketing potential; Ghana; GIS; geographic information systems; tourist destinations; destination choice; spatial mapping; sustainable tourism; local participation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJLTM.2015.072120

International Journal of Leisure and Tourism Marketing, 2015 Vol.4 No.3/4, pp.260 - 278

Received: 26 Dec 2014
Accepted: 07 Jun 2015
Published online: 30 Sep 2015 *

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