The Ghana Tourism Authority, together with Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) and the Cocoa Processing COMPANY (CPC) , has officially launched the 2025 National Chocolate Week celebrations.
The launch, held at the Ghana Tourism Authority head office, brought together industry players from the tourism sector and other stakeholders in solidarity with the Authority.
Delivering the opening remarks for the event, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Ben Anane Nsiah, highlighted the significance of Ghana’s chocolate and the week-long celebration, which coincides with Valentine’s Day—a day when chocolate is highly patronized.
He emphasized the Authority’s commitment to making Ghana’s chocolate an integral part of the tourism experience. “We wanted to give Valentine a certain Ghanaian flavor. When you go to South Africa, they will take you through the wine field and show you how to taste it. We also want to capitalize on this and make it part of the experience.”
Deputy Director of Research at COCOBOD, Michael Ekow Amoah, acknowledged the Ghana Tourism Authority’s consistent efforts in promoting the patronage of Ghana’s cocoa products. He noted these efforts contributed to a significant shift in per capita consumption of Ghanaian chocolate, from 0.5% to 1%. He also highlighted how the annual celebration has inspired the cocoa sector to introduce innovative products that cater to citizens and tourists alike.
The Ghana Tourism Federation’s Vice President, Kwaku Passah, lauded the collaborative efforts of the Ghana Tourism Authority, COCOBOD, and the Cocoa Processing Company (CPC). He urged the management of all tourist sites nationwide to ensure visitors have the opportunity to taste Ghana’s premium chocolate.
Details of the activities lineup for the National Chocolate Week were shared by GTA’s Director of Marketing, Mrs. Betty Kobi. She revealed that the celebrations would commence on Sunday, February 9, with a church visitation and climax on Friday, February 14, 2025, with a chocolate campaign activation at the Kotoka International Airport.
Deputy Chief Executive Officer – In charge of Operations, Ekow Sampson, launched the week-long celebration. He noted that the continuous patronage of chocolate in more ways than one will benefit the Ghanaian people.
“The National Chocolate Week falls in line with the Authority’s marketing campaigns, initiated to boost domestic tourism by emphasizing local content and encouraging Ghanaians to consume local products, ultimately reducing over-reliance on foreign and imported goods. It seeks to accelerate the forward and backward supply value chain linkages between Tourism, Culture, Creative Arts, and other sectors of the economy.”
The 2025 National Chocolate Week, themed ‘Eat Chocolate, Stay Healthy, Grow Ghana’, aims to spotlight the value of Ghana’s processed cocoa products, particularly chocolate, through a variety of activities nationwide. This year, GTA, COCOBOD, and the Cocoa Processing Company are working collectively with government, tourism and hospitality stakeholders, and the public under the campaign ‘Chocolate for All: Taste, Share, and Care’ to elevate the patronage of Ghana’s chocolate in Ghana and beyond.
By: Kobina Baidoo
