I am delighted to be able to share free copies of my freshly minted research article that has been published. Use this link to get your free copy….

https://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/z8epyuHMDtUFMUAEuTnM/full 

Feedback and comments are very much welcomed…

The abstract is below…

Historical Trajectories of Tourism Development Policies and Planning in Ghana, 1957–2017

Abstract

Historical research on tourism development policies and planning is generally limited, with scant attention on destinations in the Global South. This paper traces the historical trajectories of the development of tourism policy and planning in Ghana using the analytic framework of ‘Development First’ and ‘Tourism First’. The analysis builds on a 3-year research project and using the framework approach to qualitative analysis provides a detailed contextual analysis of key national economic development plans and national tourism development policies and plans. Four broad political eras of tourism development and planning are identified – i) 1957 – 1966: post-independence era of Development First; ii) 1966 – 1981: political instability era of Tourism First; iii) 1981 – 2000: structural adjustment era of mixed Tourism First-Development First and; iv) 2000 – 2017: democratic consolidation era of Development First. The analysis highlights how the distinct historical contexts of state involvement shape the present and future characteristics of tourism development. The implications of this paper suggest the need for more detailed exploration of the historical processes of tourism development in Global South destinations. Such exploration provide important insights into the critical role of the state in the development and implementation of tourism policies and the effects on the sustainability of tourism development.

Keywords: Ghana, tourism history, local economic development, poverty reduction, sustainability, tourism planning and development, tourism policy