Perception Of Personal Security And Its Influence On Tourism: The Case Of Ghana

ABSTRACT

Tourism over the years has played a major role in many developing economies including Ghana. It competes with gold, cocoa and remittances as a key source of revenue for the state. For a successful and thriving tourism industry in any country, it there is the need to uphold tourists’ the safety and security as well as convince potential tourists of their safety and security at a destination. Thus, the state and other private tourist institutions have the responsibility to safeguard the perception of security through conventional and in contemporary times, through digital means so as to sustain and ameliorate tourist arrivals at a destination. However, in the last two decades, there has been a rise in global security threats especially in this era of sporadic terror attacks directed at tourists, pandemics, crime etc. The study sought to investigate the perception of personal security in Ghana by tourists as well as gather data on factors which influence their perception. Additionally, the study investigated measures put in place by the state and other private tourism organisations in mitigating the effects of security threats in Ghana. The mixed research method was put to use to gather empirical data to undertake the study. Structured questionnaires, comprising of open-ended and closed-ended questions were used as survey instruments to gather data. Interviews and observation techniques were employed to gain insight into the area of study. Findings suggested that generally, Ghana is perceived as a safe tourist destination, on the other hand, emphasis should be placed on improving the perception of Ghana as a safe destination within the West African Sub-region and for that matter Africa. This is due to the negative perception of Africa as a continent of insecurity and poverty. The study recommends increased private public partnership in order to overcome challenges crippling the industry and develop a booming tourism industry in Ghana. Finally, nation branding is crucial in boosting the image of a state. Ensuring nation branding is important since it can engender competitive advantage and several opportunities for that country especially in the area of effective tourism.