Ghana's accommodation sector saw a 7 percent decline in monthly occupied room-nights between March and June 2025. The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) reported this drop, moving from 2.14 million occupied room-nights in March to 1.99 million in June. This occurred despite the country having substantial accommodation capacity, with about 5 million room-nights available each month.
The weakening demand is detailed in the 2025 Accommodation Unit Survey (AUS), captured in the Accommodation Occupancy Report. National room occupancy remained relatively stable but low, rising slightly from 41.7 percent in March to 41.9 percent in April. It then fell to 39.7 percent in May before a marginal recovery to 40 percent in June. This means only four out of every 10 available rooms were occupied on average during this period.
This trend indicates a significant underutilization of Ghana's hospitality infrastructure. The GSS findings highlight a mismatch between available supply and actual demand, particularly impacting the profitability of many establishments. This situation could affect investment decisions and employment within the sector, which is a key contributor to Ghana's service economy.
Dr. Iddrisu Alhassan, the Government Statistician, noted the substantial accommodation capacity. He emphasized the importance of understanding these occupancy patterns for policy formulation and business strategy. The report also revealed varying performance across different accommodation types and regions, underscoring the complex nature of the market.
The implications of this data are far-reaching for Ghana’s tourism and hospitality industry. Businesses may need to adjust pricing strategies or marketing efforts to attract more guests. Policymakers might consider incentives for domestic tourism or targeted promotions for international visitors. The sector's ability to recover and grow will depend on addressing these demand-side challenges and improving overall occupancy rates.
Hotels, which account for approximately 71 percent of available rooms, recorded relatively low occupancy rates. Their room occupancy ranged from 32.4 percent to 34.9 percent during the period. In contrast, hostels performed much better, achieving room occupancy rates between 92.9 percent and 96.1 percent. Standard hostels, in particular, operated close to full capacity, indicating strong demand for budget-friendly options.
The average daily rate (ADR) for rooms increased from GHS 1,018 in March to GHS 1,145 in June. Revenue per available room (RevPAR) also rose from GHS 425 to GHS 458 over the same period, despite fluctuations. This suggests that while fewer rooms were occupied, the revenue generated per available room improved due to higher pricing, possibly reflecting inflation or a shift in the type of rooms being booked.
Domestic travellers were the primary source of demand, with between 1.78 million and 1.86 million domestic guests recorded monthly. Foreign guests were significantly fewer, ranging from 23,000 to 30,000. However, foreign guests generally stayed longer, averaging three to nine nights, compared to one to two nights for domestic guests. This longer stay duration makes foreign visitors valuable despite their lower numbers.
Regional performance varied significantly across the country. The Central and Western regions recorded some of the highest occupancy rates. The Central Region reached 56.8 percent in June, while the Western Region maintained rates above 50 percent throughout the period. In stark contrast, the Eastern, Bono East, and North East regions recorded occupancy rates below 25 percent. This highlights an uneven distribution of tourism activity and infrastructure development.
Greater Accra recorded the highest regional RevPAR throughout the survey period, indicating its strong revenue-generating capacity despite not always having the highest occupancy. The Central Region attracted the highest number of domestic guests, while Greater Accra saw the most foreign visitors. This suggests different market segments dominate in various regions.
The survey covered March to June 2025 and is part of a broader nationwide panel study running from November 2024 to October 2025. It included a representative sample of 1,085 establishments from a total of 9,602 registered and unregistered accommodation businesses across all 16 regions. This comprehensive data provides a crucial snapshot of the sector's health and challenges.