The West Africa Holidays, Travel and Tourism Expo (WAHTTEX) is set to open its doors in Accra from 19 to 21 November 2026, drawing more than 5,000 trade participants and up to 200 exhibitors to the Palms Convention Centre at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel. The three‑day event will bring together tourism operators, travel agents, hoteliers, investors and other industry players to showcase products, forge partnerships and promote travel packages.
At the launch, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts Abla Dzifa Gomashie underscored the importance of domestic tourism for a resilient industry and deeper appreciation of Ghanaian heritage. “We must first inspire our own people to discover and appreciate Ghana before we can effectively invite the rest of the world to experience our country,” she said. She urged businesses to develop affordable, memorable packages that encourage Ghanaians to explore destinations across the country and highlighted the government’s Black Star Experience initiative as a platform to showcase Ghana’s culture, history, creativity and people to both domestic and international visitors.
Lead organiser Daniel Asafra Tibu said the expo would provide a marketplace for tourism and allied businesses in Ghana, West Africa and beyond to showcase their products, network and establish commercial partnerships. He noted that international arrivals rose from 1.29 million in 2024 to 1.31 million in 2025, while domestic visitors grew from 1.68 million to 1.79 million over the same period, and that international tourism generated $4.34 billion in 2025.
The event will feature exhibitions, business networking sessions, conferences, workshops and masterclasses on emerging trends in tourism, hospitality, technology, aviation and youth travel. Country celebrations and familiarisation trips to selected tourist destinations are also planned. Mr. Tibu called on tourism associations, regional coordinating councils and agencies under the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts to participate, and appealed to the Ghana Tourism Authority to support the initiative to strengthen its credibility and attract industry players from across the world.
Stakeholders can look forward to a platform that not only showcases products but also encourages travel among West African countries and helps local operators develop packages tailored to the domestic market.
