Ghanaian startup CityQuest Africa has launched a platform that combines tourism and edutainment by transforming destinations into playable adventures.
Founded this year by Mathias Asamoah, CityQuest has built a free browser game that introduces players to Ghana through an interactive online adventure. Players follow clues, complete local challenges, uncover hidden lore and interact with destinations as though they have stepped inside a living game.
“Alongside this, we are developing CityQuest Originals – ticketed, real-world experiences such as First Day in Accra, which turns the historic community of Jamestown into a real-life game with a bucket list of activities to perform during the tour. Our Accra Party Bus Adventure is a private group excursion combining sightseeing with challenges, knock-out competition and entertainment,” Asamoah told Disrupt Africa.
The broader vision, then, is to build an African platform through which cities, museums, tourism operators, resorts and cultural institutions can transform their destinations and stories into interactive experiences, encouraging people to then visit the real place.
“Our model is to work with local guides, tourism operators, cultural institutions and community partners who understand each destination. CityQuest provides the game systems, stories, technology, branding, customer experience and distribution, while local partners support the physical delivery of the experiences,” Asamoah said.
CityQuest has primarily been bootstrapped through personal resources and the founder’s own development, marketing and creative work.
“We have intentionally started lean, using technology and partnerships to prove the concept before taking on the costs associated with a larger operation,” said Asamoah.
“We are now exploring early-stage funding, sponsorships and strategic partnerships that can help us launch our physical experiences, improve the technology and expand the platform.”
The startup is still in its early stages, but says the initial response to the concept and the browser game has been encouraging.
“Players have responded positively to the way the game presents Ghanaian locations, characters and environmental themes, while media organisations and potential institutional partners have shown interest in the wider model,” Asamoah said.
“The most encouraging sign has been that different groups immediately see different uses for the platform. Tourism organisations see a new visitor experience. Educators see a more engaging learning tool. Cultural institutions see a way to make heritage accessible. Brands and event organisers see a youth-first original form of entertainment.”
The next major test, he said, will be converting this early interest into repeatable bookings, strong customer reviews and sustainable partnerships through its first physical experiences in Accra.
“We are beginning with Jamestown because it has a powerful combination of history, community, culture and accessibility. It provides the ideal environment for testing whether a neighbourhood can successfully become a playable tourism experience. It also happens to be where IshowSpeed was taken for his Ghana tour,” Asamoah said.
“After establishing a repeatable flagship operation in Accra, we plan to expand to Cape Coast and other Ghanaian destinations. Cape Coast is especially significant because it is where the original idea began. Our long-term ambition is continental. We believe the CityQuest model can eventually be adapted for destinations across Africa, with each experience created around the history, culture, challenges and character of its location.”
