Last Updated on January 26, 2020 by WFD
It’s not for nothing that the first Portuguese who docked on the shores of colonial Ghana called it the Gold Coast. The blessings of its natural resources and blossoming forest reserve remain but a few of the major points that draw investors into the country.
Since gaining independence in 1957, Ghana has made steady progress in the comity of nations and is regarded as one of the beacons of democracy across the world and stands tall amongst African countries making strides in the International arena.
Ghana’s tourism sector is a natural resource of sorts with a potential yet to be unveiled to the rest of the world. Although its attractions go beyond the usual safari associated with other African countries, the breathtaking historical sites, peaceful atmosphere local cuisines to die for, as well as some fascinating architectural landscapes would wow any first-time or a returning visitor for that matter.
These and more have contributed to a tourism boom, placing Ghana on a pedestal that is fast gaining tremendous grounds and raising its rankings amongst tourist destinations and the rising number of international visitors.
The Year of Return and Ghana’s Tourism
Ever since its launch by the president in 2018, the Year of Return has become one of the key selling points of Ghana’s tourism sector. It has drawn many people from all corners of the world; mostly from the American continent.
The announcement of the Year of Return thus gave Ghana the window to showcase to the world, the incredible and must-see sites that projected the country’s noted qualities of warmth and friendship, while emphasizing the core aspect of Pan-Africanism which is Unity.
In honoring and celebrating the lives of black ancestors who’ve made the ultimate sacrifice, key considerations were made to align Ghana’s historical and cultural significance of the era past and contemporary times promoting its relevance in the socio-cultural dynamics of the world.
Going Into the Past and Understanding the Depth
Between the 15th and 18th centuries, the Trans-Atlantic slave trade was described by historians and experts as the most barbaric and torturous exploitation of a group of people by another.
The Year of Return which marked 400 years of the arrival of the first documented slaves on the shores of America – Jamestown settlement, Virginia has come to be recognized as the genesis of the slave trade in North America.
Similar to the United States black history month and Ghana’s 1994 Emancipation Day, the biennial Pan African Historical Theatre Festival (Panafest) – the Year of Return was an elevated version of these events that have been carefully designed to unify black people in the diaspora and establishing a link between them and their ancestors.
READ ALSO: Ghana: A West African Gem That Every Tourist Must Visit
Before notable American and European personalities from the diaspora like Idris Elba, Boris Kodjoe, Naomi Campbell, Anthony Anderson, Kofi Kingston, Adrienne-Joi Johnson, Steve Harvey, Cardi B, T.I., Ludacris, Rick Ross, Rosario Dawson, Diggy Simmons, Nicole Ari Parker made their way to Ghana to be part of the solidarity shared by African Americans all across the world, other great African descendants in the diaspora had laid the groundworks in the 50s and 60s. Civil rights leaders like W.E.B Du Bois, George Padmore, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Maya Angelou, and many others made the trip in and out of Ghana in solidarity to Pan-Africanism.
Year of Return Events and the Photo Taking Tourists
The excitement of concerts and parties had given the returnees a reason to be part of a country that has its stories embedded in a historic event. Across the country, the cities and towns were flooded with photo taking tourists most of whom rode on the wave of returning to their African roots. These visitors had the luxury of a twofold experience of participating in sobering reflections of the pain of walking through the dungeons of the castles to the door of no return and an opportunity to reconnect with their many distant brothers and sisters who have also come visiting their ancestral home for the first time.
Independently organized events like the Afrochella, Afro Nation, Back to Our Roots Tour, Detty Rave concerts, Crusade 4, Bliss on the Hills, Live X Festival, The Waakye Summit, and Afrochic Diaspora Festival was like a family reunion where the “diasporans” joined their African kins to enjoy melodious songs and performances by musicians they share the same lineage with.
In essence, Ghana’s Year of Return created a tremendous impact that promoted Ghana’s history which is uniquely part of all African descendants across the world. The over 30 slave forts and castles dotted along the coast of Ghana served as a reminder that Ghana’s position in the grand scheme of historical events cannot be underestimated.
Looking at the buzz created over the period, the initiative, especially during the December period, created a distinctive spotlight that highlighted comprehensively one of Africa’s shiniest examples.
The Year of Return indeed serves as a painful reminder of what happened to the millions of African ancestors who were forcefully removed from their homes, thrown into dungeons and later dragged onto ships halfway across the world to a destination unknown to them and sold into slavery.
However, looking at the large scale on which the initiative was based, Ghana’s key role as the point of departure for all ill-fated black ancestors would continue to ensure a sustainable ancestral connection with the returnees.
Basking in the glory of great branding, Ghana’s Year of Return was a success in its own right; and it did see a tremendous increase in the number of tourists who visited the country.
READ ALSO: Ghana: A West African Gem That Every Tourist Must Visit
The article was written by Mohammed Ali for World’s Finest Destinations
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