Amid growing public debate over the state of Ghana’s December festivities, tourism and creative industry leaders say the season remains vibrant, dynamic, and increasingly attractive to visitors from across the globe.
These views were shared during the Y Holiday Havoc Convo, a special December tourism and culture segment organised by YFM Ghana as part of its flagship Y Holiday Havoc campaign. The discussion aired on the station’s Myd Morning Show, hosted by Rev Erskine, with DJ Ganj on the turntables.
Addressing suggestions that “December in Ghana” has declined, Bernard Kafui Sokpe, Founder of Jambo Spaces, widely known as Mista Meister and originator of the term “Detty December” said firsthand experience within the creative and events sector points to continued growth rather than stagnation.
“December in Ghana is not slowing down, it is expanding,” he noted. “Previously, there were only a few stadium events but this year, there are 3 or more. Even the University of Ghana has already hosted two large events this season, which was rarely the case in the past.”
He explained that December has evolved into a broad tourism ecosystem that supports several industries beyond entertainment, including hospitality, transport, fashion, food services, and security.
“It’s bigger than just parties,” he explained. “There’s a whole ecosystem around it. A lot more people are benefiting from December activities; it’s just not being amplified properly.”
According to Mista Meister, the key challenge is not activity but visibility. He stressed the need for stronger coordination and storytelling to fully appreciate the breadth of experiences available during the festive season.
“Everything is happening in pockets. If you really want to see what’s going on, you have to check vlogs or platforms like YFM. It doesn’t feel concerted enough for people to see the full picture or get daily updates of what’s happening across the country.”
Adding to the discussion, Ekow Quanzie, Head of PR and Sustainability at Global Media Alliance, pointed to growing international arrivals as a strong indicator of December’s tourism appeal.
“One of the most reliable tourism indicators is arrivals,” he said. “At Kotoka International Airport, the volume of inbound travellers during December has increased so much that overflow parking had to be introduced to manage the traffic.”
He further noted that Ghana’s December calendar has diversified, offering tourists a mix of entertainment, cultural exchanges, business forums, and thought-leadership events.
“December in Ghana is evolving into a multifaceted tourism season,” Ekow explained.
He emphasised the importance of strategic promotion in sustaining tourism growth.
“Tourism is about PR and marketing,” he said. “Countries spend heavily to attract tourists. Ghana is fortunate; we have natural sites, a vibrant youth culture, political stability, and global goodwill. Many countries actually seek validation from Ghana and therefore we should captilise on these and do better in amplification”.
Both speakers agreed that while private sector innovation has largely driven the success of December tourism, stronger collaboration, improved marketing coordination, and increased government support could further elevate Ghana’s festive season on the global tourism stage.
