6th Inter Tourism Expo: Organisers Engage 24-Hour Economy Secretariat Ahead of Cape Coast Event
By JONES NEWS | Business & Tourism
The organising committee of the 6th Inter Tourism Expo Accra (INTTA) 2026 has engaged the Presidential Adviser on the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme, Augustus Goosie Tanoh, as preparations intensify for the upcoming tourism and investment event in Cape Coast.
The courtesy call, held ahead of the expo, focused on how the event can connect Ghana's tourism industry with investment, job creation, agribusiness, industrialisation, digital transformation and private-sector participation.
The engagement also opens discussions around stronger collaboration between the organisers and government institutions as Ghana seeks to position tourism not only as a cultural and recreational sector but also as part of broader economic activity.
The 6th Inter Tourism Expo is scheduled for October 21–23, 2026, at the Ridge Royal Hotel in Cape Coast in the Central Region. The organisers' official platform describes the event as a convergence platform for tourism, trade, investment, technology, agribusiness and industrial development.
Tourism takes centre stage in investment discussions
The meeting with Tanoh comes at a time when tourism stakeholders are seeking stronger connections between Ghana's tourism resources and investment opportunities.
According to reports on the engagement, the delegation was led by Emmanuel Treku, Chairman of the Expo Organising Committee, and Beauty Kabukie Apedoe, Chief Executive Officer. The delegation briefed the Presidential Adviser on the objectives of the upcoming expo and the preparations underway.
Discussions reportedly covered areas including job opportunities, tourism investment, agribusiness, industrialisation, digital transformation and private-sector participation.
The organisers also discussed the need for the expo to produce practical outcomes beyond conference discussions, including stronger coordination between businesses, investors and government institutions.
The expo's theme is “Positioning Ghana as a 24-Hour Investment Economy.” Its programme is expected to examine tourism alongside areas such as agribusiness, digital sovereignty and AfCFTA industrial acceleration.
24-Hour Economy agenda and tourism
The connection between tourism and the 24-hour economy agenda is one of the central ideas surrounding this year's expo.
The organisers argue that tourism does not operate in isolation. When visitors travel to Ghana, they require accommodation, transportation, food, entertainment, financial services, shopping, communication and other services.
This creates opportunities for businesses operating across different parts of the economy.
The official INTTA platform says the event seeks to demonstrate how tourism can function alongside investment, trade, technology, agribusiness, energy, manufacturing and other productive sectors.
The concept also extends beyond international tourists. Domestic tourism, business travel, conferences, cultural events and investment-related travel can generate economic activity for hotels, restaurants, transport operators, tour companies, artisans and other service providers.
For Ghanaian businesses, the potential connection between tourism and investment therefore extends beyond traditional sightseeing.
What to expect at the Cape Coast expo
Organisers expect the three-day event to bring together tourism stakeholders, investors, government institutions, business leaders, development partners and other participants.
MyJoyOnline reported that more than 300 delegates are expected at the event, while the official INTTA website currently projects 500-plus delegates across the wider six-day programme, including post-conference activities.
The main conference is scheduled for October 21–23 at the Ridge Royal Hotel in Cape Coast. The official programme also lists post-conference experiences and investment site visits from October 24–26 involving Cape Coast, Accra and the Savannah Region.
The programme is expected to include policy discussions, investment forums, business matchmaking, tourism exhibitions, investor networking, destination experiences and strategic partnership opportunities.
These activities are designed to move discussions beyond presentations and towards direct connections between companies, investors and institutions.
Cape Coast provides a significant setting
Holding the expo in Cape Coast gives the event an important tourism dimension.
The city is internationally associated with Ghana's historical heritage, particularly the Cape Coast Castle, which forms part of the country's heritage tourism landscape.
The official INTTA platform itself highlights Cape Coast Castle and the surrounding coastal environment among the destination experiences associated with the event.
Hosting an investment-focused tourism event in Cape Coast can therefore bring attention to the city's existing tourism assets while providing opportunities to discuss broader development of the sector.
For tourism businesses in the Central Region, events of this nature can also provide a platform to connect with potential partners and visitors.
The expo's wider focus, however, extends beyond Cape Coast.
The organisers are positioning the event as a platform for opportunities across Ghana, linking tourism with trade, technology, agribusiness, industrialisation and investment.
Tourism and Ghana's wider economy
Tourism can influence several areas of economic activity.
A visitor who spends money on accommodation contributes to the hospitality industry. The same visitor may use taxis, restaurants, tour guides, museums, entertainment venues, shops and other services.
This creates a chain of economic activity involving businesses of different sizes.
Small businesses can participate through food production, handicrafts, transport, tour services, cultural experiences and accommodation.
Larger businesses can participate through hotels, aviation, infrastructure, technology, financial services and investment projects.
The INTTA organisers say the expo aims to connect tourism enterprises with investment opportunities while creating business linkages involving other productive sectors.
This is also why agribusiness has been included in the programme.
Tourism establishments require food and other supplies, creating potential markets for farmers, processors and distributors.
A stronger connection between tourism and local production could therefore create opportunities for Ghanaian enterprises to supply hotels, restaurants and other businesses serving visitors.
Digital transformation and new opportunities
Technology is another major area expected to feature during the expo.
The organisers have identified digital sovereignty and digital transformation as part of the programme's focus.
Technology has already changed how tourists discover destinations, book accommodation, arrange transportation and communicate with service providers.
For Ghanaian tourism businesses, digital tools can help them reach customers outside their immediate communities and potentially expand into international markets.
Online booking systems, digital payments, social media marketing, destination websites and digital mapping are examples of technologies that can influence how tourism businesses interact with customers.
The integration of tourism with technology is therefore becoming increasingly important as competition among destinations grows.
AfCFTA and tourism opportunities
Another component of the expo is the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Although AfCFTA is primarily associated with trade in goods and services, the organisers see opportunities to connect tourism with broader African economic integration.
The official INTTA platform identifies AfCFTA industrial acceleration as one of its focus areas and presents Ghana as a potential gateway for businesses seeking opportunities across African markets.
Tourism can support this process by bringing entrepreneurs, investors and professionals from different countries together.
Business conferences themselves can generate travel, accommodation and hospitality demand while creating opportunities for companies to build relationships across borders.
Ghana Tourism Authority endorsement
The expo has also received endorsement from the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA).
In July 2026, the GTA endorsed the sixth edition of the Inter Tourism Expo and the associated 24-Hour Africa Tourism, Agribusiness, Digital Sovereignty and AfCFTA Industrial Acceleration Conference and Investment Programme.
MyJoyOnline reported that the authority viewed the initiative as a platform for strengthening Ghana's tourism industry while attracting trade and investment.
The endorsement adds another institutional connection to an event that is seeking participation from both public and private-sector stakeholders.
From discussions to practical opportunities
One of the key issues raised during the courtesy call was the importance of achieving practical outcomes from the expo.
According to the report on the meeting, the organisers and the 24-Hour Economy Secretariat discussed stronger coordination to ensure that the event generates outcomes beyond conference discussions.
This could involve business linkages, investment discussions, partnerships and other forms of collaboration.
The official INTTA programme includes an Investment Marketplace and Deal Flow opportunities, alongside business-to-business engagement intended to connect investors, entrepreneurs, policymakers and industry participants.
For an event of this nature, the significance may therefore extend beyond the three main conference days.
The relationships created during the expo could potentially lead to further discussions between companies, investors, government institutions and development partners.
A broader conversation about Ghana's tourism future
The engagement between the Inter Tourism Expo organising committee and the 24-Hour Economy Secretariat reflects a broader discussion about how Ghana can connect its tourism resources with other areas of economic development.
Ghana has cultural heritage sites, beaches, wildlife, festivals, historical locations and natural attractions that provide opportunities for tourism.
The challenge is developing these resources in a way that creates sustainable economic opportunities while protecting the country's cultural and environmental assets.
The upcoming expo is intended to bring many of these conversations into one platform.
For Cape Coast, the event also places the Central Region at the centre of discussions involving tourism, investment and business.
Looking ahead to October
With the October 21–23 dates approaching, preparations for the 6th Inter Tourism Expo are expected to continue.
The engagement with the 24-Hour Economy Secretariat has added another layer to those preparations, with discussions now focusing on how the government programme and the expo can connect around investment and economic opportunities.
The event will bring together stakeholders from tourism and other sectors to discuss investment, trade, technology, agribusiness and industrial development.
Whether the discussions ultimately translate into new investments, partnerships and employment opportunities will depend on the actions that follow the event.
For now, the expo represents an opportunity to place Ghana's tourism potential within a wider conversation about business and economic development.
As Cape Coast prepares to host the sixth edition, attention will be on how investors, businesses, policymakers and tourism operators use the platform to build connections and identify practical opportunities.
The 6th Inter Tourism Expo is scheduled for October 21–23, 2026, at the Ridge Royal Hotel in Cape Coast, Central Region, under the theme “Positioning Ghana as a 24-Hour Investment Economy.”