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Ghana’s tourism sector continues to lose substantial amounts of revenue following the closure of 34 castles and forts across the country for renovation over the last two years.

The gallery at the National Museum in Accra, which contains key national historical artifacts and monuments, has also remained closed for two years for repair works.

Renovation of the 34 castles and forts and the national gallery has stalled, according to the Deputy Director in charge of Projects at the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board (GMMB), Mr Kingsley Ofosu Ntiamoah, due to lack of funds .

He told The Mirror that at the moment, only the Cape Coast and Elmina Castles, both in the Central Region and Forts Apollonia and St Anthony in the Western Region, are accessible to tourists.

Our castles and forts, which stretch from Beyin in the Western Region to Keta in the Volta Region, are generally regarded as national treasures.

The World Heritage Convention of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) designated them as World Heritage Monuments in 1979.

They feature prominently in the nation’s tourism spectrum.

Tourism’s contribution to GDP

The tourism sector is seen as one of the largest contributors to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

According to the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), which brings together all major players in travel and tourism, the sector directly contributed GH¢2.62billion ($727m) to Ghana’s GDP in 2013 alone.