Year of Return: Ghana halves visa fee to attract more tourists

As part of measures to ensure and motivate more African-Americans and African-Europeans to return ‘home’ by visiting Ghana, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the government of Ghana has slashed visa fees from the stipulated $150 to $75 for the rest of the year.

This initiative was announced by the sector minister, Madam Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey who revealed that the plan is only applicable to people entering Ghana from the United Kingdom but said it was going to be replicated across the Ghana missions abroad to enable foreigners from other countries enjoy the package.

Ms Shirley Ayorkor Botchway addressing a group of Ghanaians living in the UK, said the move had been necessitated by the desire to have more Europeans and foreigners in general visit Ghana as the country celebrates the Year of Return. She further revealed that Ghana’s growing relationship with the UK made the signing of the communique possible; emphasizing that it would go a long way to ensure the success of the project.

She also revealed that her ministry has set up steering committees both within and outside Ghana to ensure speedy visa acquisition for  tourists who would want to travel to Ghana to be part of the Year of Return Celebration.

The ‘Year of Return’ is a special year-long tourism project, launched by the government of Ghana to mark 400 years since the first set of slaves were taken from the coast of Ghana to Europe and America.

A host of activities have been lined up to celebrate the event (some of which have already been celebrated and others yet to be). The most important aspect of the project is to ensure Africans-Americans visit Ghana and experience the culture, tradition and beauty of the home of their forefathers.