Ghana has launched the 2025 season of December in GH, renewing its invitation to the world to return, reconnect and celebrate through culture.
This year, however, the strategy deepens in ambition. December in GH is now anchored on the Black Star Experience, a framework positioning Ghana as the capital of cultural tourism, heritage reconnection and creative enterprise.
At its centre lies “Taste the Culture,” a planned mammoth festival of music, fashion and gastronomy scheduled for December 26 at the Independence Square.
The event is expected to gather some of the continent’s finest musical and artistic talents.
More than entertainment, it is a declaration that Ghana is curating identity, not just hosting festivities.
“Tourism continues to play a crucial role in positioning Ghana as a centre of global cultural engagement,” the Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah said at the launch.
“Initiatives like ‘December in GH’ reaffirm our shared vision of building a sustainable, inclusive and creative economy that benefits every Ghanaian.”
December in GH
From its beginnings, December in GH has transformed into a powerful economic and social engine. In 2024, over 120,000 international visitors were recorded during the festive period, injecting millions of dollars into airlines, hotels, nightlife, fashion and culinary industries.
Yet, with the shift towards the Black Star Experience, Ghana signals a more intentional vision – to evolve seasonal tourism into a structured cultural economy.
The Black Star Experience introduces heritage trails, art districts, culinary exhibitions and investment platforms designed to keep visitors engaged deeply beyond nightlife.
Taste the Culture, under this umbrella, becomes a marketplace of African originality.
It brings together music icons, chefs, stylists, filmmakers and artisans, allowing Ghana to export more than music. It allows us to export meaning.
But the opportunity also invites scrutiny.
Can our infrastructure withstand the surge?
Are we equipped with digital ticketing, modern sanitation, security planning and mobility coordination?
More important, are Ghanaian SMEs, from kente weavers to local distillers, benefiting proportionately or are we outsourcing our profits to foreign systems?
Role of creatives
At the launch, head of the Black Star Experience Secretariat, Rex Omar, emphasised the central role of creatives in sustaining Ghana’s tourism renaissance.
“Our mission is to curate experiences that go beyond entertainment, to celebrate identity, creativity and connection,” Mr Omar stated.
“This year’s calendar reflects the growing confidence of our creative sector and its ability to drive tourism-led growth through innovation, partnerships and excellence,” he added.
To transform tourism sustainably, Ghana must ensure December is not an isolated peak, but a bridge to year-round activity.
That demands widened airport capacity, strengthened urban transport networks, simplified visa regimes and incentives for creative entrepreneurs.
Sustainability must equally be embedded – minimising waste, encouraging recycling and protecting venues and public spaces.
December in GH has repositioned Ghana as a global pilgrimage for diasporans seeking history, culture and self-affirmation.
But with the Black Star Experience, Ghana aims to elevate itself from host to architect – designing cultural policy, not merely staging events.
As the world prepares to gather in Accra this December, our task extends beyond celebration.
We must build systems that ensure visitors do not only come to taste our culture, but to invest in its future. Culture is our power.
Now, we must demonstrate it can also be our blueprint for national development.
Angola at ITB Berlin 2026
Africa has taken a significant step towards redefining its position in the global tourism hierarchy.
Angola has been named the Official Host Country for ITB Berlin 2026, one of the world’s most influential travel trade fairs.
This is more than an honour – it is a strategic moment for Africa to assert itself in the high-value Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) arena.
For decades, Africa has been branded through wildlife, beaches and adventure.
Now, it seeks recognition as a centre of business tourism, investment negotiations and policymaking.
“We are delighted that Angola is the official host country of ITB Berlin 2026.
This partnership offers a unique opportunity to showcase the country’s diversity, culture and natural beauty on one of the world’s most important platforms,” Márcio de Jesus Lopes Daniel, Minister of Tourism of the Republic of Angola, said.
“With our new brand identity ‘Visit Angola – The Rhythm of Life’, we want to show how vibrant, diverse and authentic our tourism products are and invite the international travel industry to experience the rhythm of Angola with all their senses.”
ITB Berlin attracts over 160,000 global tourism leaders, including ministers, CEOs, investors and international media.
To host such a platform is to command narrative power.
Angola will have the opportunity to present its infrastructure, trade corridors, aviation progress and hospitality potential to the world.
It is not a cultural display, but an economic pitch – where deals are signed, partnerships forged and destinations repositioned.
Strategy
For Angola, this is part of a broader strategy.
The country has been investing heavily in diversification, expanding beyond oil into aviation, hospitality and conferences.
The upcoming Dr António Agostinho Neto International Airport and new convention facilities in Luanda are foundations for a long-term MICE ecosystem.
Being the official host country at ITB Berlin is a declaration that Africa is done being a scenic backdrop.
It now seeks a seat at the boardroom table of global tourism decisions.
This opportunity holds lessons and questions for Africa at large. If Angola’s performance is strong, it will open doors for Ghana, Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa and others seeking to grow their MICE portfolios.
We already have world-class venues – Kigali Convention Centre, Cape Town ICC, Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi – but global perception needs realignment.
Business tourism travellers spend up to three times more than leisure tourists. MICE is not simply an event segment, but an economic strategy.
However, Africa must address structural barriers.
Air connectivity remains fragmented, with limited intra-African routes.
Visa restrictions weaken regional mobility.
Marketing efforts are often individual, not continental.
For MICE to flourish, Africa must embrace integrated promotion, multi-country packages and aviation reforms.
Angola’s moment at ITB Berlin represents a continental reflection point.
While Ghana perfects December in GH through cultural magnetism, it must also build capacity in business tourism.
Leisure tourism celebrates our story. MICE tourism sells our future.
Africa’s rise in tourism will not come from choice between culture and commerce, but from their convergence.
The world is ready to meet us.
The question is – are we ready to host it?