The Tour Operators Union of Ghana (TOUGHA) has returned from a successful participation in the 2026 Karibu-Kilifair tourism expo in Arusha, Tanzania, marking the association’s first-ever appearance at East Africa’s largest tourism trade exhibition.
Held from June 4 to 7 at the Magereza Grounds in Arusha, this year’s Karibu-Kilifair brought together hundreds of tourism stakeholders from across Africa and beyond. Organisers reported participation by more than 500 exhibitors representing over a dozen countries, alongside international travel buyers, tour operators, destination marketers, airlines, hotels and tourism service providers. The event has grown into one of Africa’s most important tourism business platforms, connecting East Africa’s tourism industry with global markets and facilitating business-to-business networking and partnerships.
For TOUGHA, the expo provided a strategic opportunity to introduce Destination Ghana to the East African market while also engaging travel trade professionals from Europe, Asia, North America and other parts of Africa. Throughout the four-day event, the Ghana stand attracted a steady stream of visitors eager to learn more about the country’s rich cultural heritage, vibrant festivals, historical attractions, ecotourism offerings and growing reputation as a leading destination for heritage and diaspora tourism.
The Ghanaian delegation used the platform to highlight the country’s unique tourism products, including its UNESCO World Heritage forts and castles, wildlife reserves, cultural experiences, culinary tourism, and the government’s continued efforts to position Ghana as the gateway to Africa for the global African diaspora.
Leading the TOUGHA delegation was the Union’s President, Yvonne Donkor, who expressed satisfaction with the level of interest generated by Ghana’s participation.
“We are extremely pleased with the response we received at Karibu-Kilifair 2026,” Donkor said. “This was TOUGHA’s first participation in the event, and it exceeded our expectations. We had meaningful engagements with tour operators, travel agents and buyers from across East Africa and other international markets who were genuinely interested in selling Ghana as a destination.”
She added that the expo provided valuable opportunities to establish new partnerships and explore collaborative tourism packages between Ghana and East African destinations.
“Tourism today thrives on collaboration and platforms such as Karibu-Kilifair create the ideal environment for building those relationships. We generated several promising business leads and strengthened awareness about Ghana’s tourism offerings among audiences that may not have previously considered the country for leisure, heritage, business or cultural travel,” she said.
Yvonne noted that TOUGHA remains committed to expanding Ghana’s visibility in emerging tourism markets and leveraging international trade fairs to attract more visitors to the country.
The participation forms part of ongoing efforts by Ghana’s private tourism sector to diversify source markets, increase international arrivals and promote the country’s tourism assets across the African continent. Industry stakeholders believe stronger intra-African tourism partnerships will be critical to driving growth in the sector and unlocking new opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Karibu-Kilifair has become a key fixture on the African tourism calendar, attracting more than 1,000 international travel buyers and thousands of trade visitors annually. The expo serves as a marketplace for tourism businesses, destination marketing organisations, hospitality operators, and travel professionals seeking new partnerships and investment opportunities across the continent.
For TOUGHA, the successful debut at the Arusha-based fair signals the beginning of what the association hopes will be a sustained presence in East Africa as it works to position Ghana among the continent’s most sought-after tourism destinations.
