1. SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF DOMESTIC TOURISTS IN GHANA BY JOSHUA SEBU

2. INTRO Ghana is blessed with several tourist sites These include national parks, waterfalls, caves, hills, castles, botanical gardens, etc. Most of these sites are natural These natural tourist sites are still in their raw state yet to be developed to enhance its value as a tourist site.

3. INTRO Tourism contributes to the development of an economy through the provision foreign exchange Employment Income Development of tourism communities and facilities, etc. In 2005, US$836.09 thousand dollars was received as foreign exchange increasing to US$1,875.0 million dollars in 2010. (Ohene-Ayeh, 2012) (Director of corporate affairs, GTA).

4. INTRO The fact remains that international tourist arrivals to tourist sites in Ghana far surpasses that of domestic tourists. According to GSS (2008), over 97% of Ghanaians hardly visit tourist sites. This rather reduces benefits that could be obtained from their visits.

5. INTRO According to Akyea (2009) among the excuses given by Ghanaians for not visiting tourist sites included Lack of funds No time to travel Among these excuses my students also added that There are no organisation of such tours Gate fees are expensive, among others

6. INTRO Fact sheet from GTA indicate rising trend in domestic tourism By the end of 2010, total arrivals to tourist sites by Ghanaians was 659,325 with an accompanying total revenue of GH¢1,407,444.99. According to Ohene-Ayeh (2012) this was a greater improvement in domestic tourism over the past five years.

7. Objective The study therefore seeks to explore the socio-demographic characteristics of domestic tourists in Ghana. Specifically the study will answers questions like Where domestic tourists are going? Where they are coming from? What was the main purpose of their visit?

8. Methodology The study uses data from the last round of the GLSS (GLSS 5) collected in 2005. The sample includes only domestic tourist site visitors totaling 328 individuals out of 37,128. The results are weighted to take care of the disproportionate sampling. Exploring the data through descriptive analysis to answer the above questions

9. Results Same day visitors were 214, overnight visitors were 127, whiles 13 were overlapping 57.3% males, 42.7% females Mean age was 28 years with a standard deviation of 14.9 About 95.46% have had some level of education Average real income of visitors was GHȼ639.42 whiles non visitors was GHȼ422.80 showing a 34% difference between the two. A T-test showed a significant difference (p=0.000)

10. Same day Overnight FreqWeighted percentFreqWeighted percent Funeral 19 7.75 20 16.55 Marriage ceremony52.8121.45 Birthday parties31.7233.00 Open days--10.39 Business/Professional178.0685.75 Holidays/Vacation/Leisur e 52 25.46127.19 Visiting family/Friends 39 16.76 53 42.29 Convention/Conference/ workshop 21.121110.47 Religious/Pilgrimage103.6010.86 Government affair21.08-- Studies31.3843.55 Teaching--10.97 Health10.30-- Sports/Recreation138.4322.05 Other63.1420.95 Missing System42 18.3974.51 Total214 100.0127100.0

11. Same day tourist site visited FrequencyWeighted percent cape coast castle229.4 elmina castle104.5 kumasi zoo3215.4 accra zoo168.7 shai hills reource reserve31.6 aburi botanical gardens94.2 kakum national park3313.8 mole national park62.0 ankasa wildlife resource reserve10.4 kwame nkrumah mausoleum21.4 akosombo dam10.5 digyae national park10.3 wui water falls72.7 boti water falls189.6 4710.3 amedzofe20.8 boabeng-fiema monkey sanctuary20.9 tongo hills10.5 paga crocodile pond10.2 bobiri forest and butterfly sanctuary,nobewam 10.6 kintampo waterfalls41.6 lake bosomtwe157.4 other (specify)2613.0 Total214100

12. Over night tourist site visited FrequencyWeighted percent cape coast castle1510.8 elmina castle118.8 kumasi zoo1912.9 accra zoo128.7 aumatsa resource reserve11.0 aburi botanical gardens31.9 kakum national park1514.6 mole national park11.0 kwame nkrumah mausoleum54.2 manhyia palace,kumasi10.9 kalakpa resource reserve10.7 kogyae strict nature reserve10.5 wui water falls20.6 boti water falls65.6 amedzofe53.2 paga crocodile pond21.2 kintampo waterfalls22.3 lake bosomtwe65.0 other (specify)1916.2 Total127100.0

13. Same dayWesternCentralG. AccraVoltaEasternAshantiB. AhafoNorthernU. EastU. WestTotal Cape Coast 20.015.3 11.531.45.51.0100.0 Elmina castle 35.119.913.511.919.5100.0 Kumasi zoo 3.61.971.617.14.70.9100.0 Accra zoo 8.16.124.77.729.823.6100.0 Shai hills 29.946.623.5100.0 Aburi gardens 72.514.613.0100.0 Kakum park 20.229.914.210.822.22.00.7100.0 mole national park 46.838.314.9100.0 Ankasa wildlife 100.0 Kwame Nkrumah m 100.0 Akosombo dam 100.0 Digyae park 100.0 Wui water falls 96.43.6100.0 Boti water falls 21.210.668.2100.0 Amedzofe 62.437.6100.0 Boabeng- fiema monkey 54.545.5100.0 Tongo hills 100.0 Paga crocodile 100.0 Bobiri forest 100.0 Kintampo waterfalls 68.032.0100.0 Lake bosomtwe 7.492.6100.0 Other 32.18.84.520.130.32.91.1100.0 Total 8.112.012.74.816.334.58.91.60.20.9100.0

14. overnight WesternCentralG. AccraVoltaEasternAshantiB. AhafoNorthernU. EastU. WestTotal Cape Coast cast 41.022.0 14.9100.0 Elmina castle 34.76.926.329.12.8100.0 Kumasi zoo 7.621.821.212.135.02.3100.0 Accra zoo 16.922.48.441.86.93.6100.0 Aumatsa reserve 100.0 Aburi gardens 38.361.7100.0 kakum national park 6.781.45.46.5100.0 mole park 100.0 kwame nkrumah 59.717.622.7100.0 Manhyia palace 100.0 Kalakpa reserve 100.0 Kogyae nature reserve 100.0 Wli water falls 71.328.7100.0 Boti water falls 34.265.8100.0 Amedzofe 15.784.3100.0 Paga pond 22.977.1100.0 Kintampo waterfalls 42.157.9100.0 Lake bosomtwe 54.945.1100.0 Other (specify) 16.212.35.43.749.74.74.02.31.7100.0 Total 10.113.011.74.914.329.49.53.42.61.2100.0

15. Packaged trip Same day Overnight Frequency Weighted percent Frequency Weighted percent packaged tour5727.92015.0 self arranged10951.09776.6 other73.333.9 Total17382.1120 95.5 Missing System4117.9 74.5 Total214100.0 127100.0

16. Sponsored trip Same day Overnightovernight FrequencyWeighted PercentFrequencyWeighted percent self-sponsorship10548.98063.9 household member4924.62720.4 private organisation72.822.2 government international organisation 52.064.6 other10.612.1 663.342.4 Total17382.1120 95.5 Missing System4117.9 74.5 Total214100.0 127100.0

17. Accommodation stayed in by overnight visitors FrequencyPercentWeighted percent Hotel (other lodging services) 97.17.3 Guest house32.42.0 Health establishments32.43.2 Educational institutions107.98.3 Holiday resorts10.80.4 Tourist camp sites10.80.7 Friends'/relative's residence 7055.157.0 Private home1310.28.8 Other (specify)32.41.8 Total11389.089.5 Missing System1411.0 10.5 Total127100.0 100

18. Conclusion Income of domestic sites visitors are greater than non-visitors Visits to these tourist sites were a secondary matter and not the main motive for travelling to areas endowed with these tourist sites. Places mostly visited included Kakum National park, Kumasi zoo and cape coast castle. Majority of domestic visitors were from the Ashanti region. Visits were mostly self-arranged and also self sponsored.

19. Recommendations Income levels of individuals when increased might encourage domestic tourism. GTA and other tourism agents should develop these tourist sites especially the least visited to encourage increased domestic visits. Intensified education and marketing should be carried out to encourage those who visit areas with tourist sites to visit these sites. Future research on regional disparities could be done to find out the factors influencing more visits by some regions than others.

20. THANK YOU