Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu
Ghana recorded a total of 77,501 outbound same-day trips in 2023, which according to Government Statistician, Dr. Alhassan Iddrisu, highlighted the growing importance of short cross-border travel for business, trade, and social purposes.
This was disclosed during the presentation of key findings from a national mobility report detailing travel trends among Ghanaians who leave the country and return on the same day by the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).
Dr. Iddrisu explained that men accounted for about 52% of same-day outbound travellers, while women made up 48%, reflecting a relatively balanced participation in cross-border movement. The largest age group of travellers was between 25 and 44 years, indicating that most same-day trips are undertaken by economically active individuals.
“Men accounted for a slightly higher share, about 52% of the outbound travellers, compared to women who accounted for about 48%. Among young travellers aged between 25 and 44 years, who formed the largest group overall, we see that both men and women participated actively in cross border trips, showing a growing balance in mobility for work and family purposes,” he pointed out.
The findings also revealed that business and professional trips were the leading reasons for travel, representing about 34% of all same-day journeys. This was followed closely by funeral-related travel at 23%, emphasising that such trips are not only motivated by trade but also by strong family, cultural, and social connections.
In terms of transportation, nearly all travellers used road transport, underscoring the importance of Ghana’s land borders for regional movement.
The report further indicated that self-arranged tours dominated travel activity, with 94.4% of trips being personally organised rather than booked through agencies. Only 4.6% of trips were packaged through tour operators.
Regionally, the Ashanti Region recorded the highest number of same-day travellers across all four quarters, with between 3,000 and 5,000 trips each period. This trend, according to analysts, reflects the region’s strong commercial and social linkages with neighbouring countries, particularly within the middle belt and West African sub-region.
Among destination countries, Togo consistently attracted the highest number of Ghanaian travellers, accounting for 54% of trips in the second quarter and an even higher 71.2% in the third quarter of 2023.
On expenditure, the report estimated that same-day travellers spent a total of about GH¢60 million throughout 2023, with the majority approximately 95% spent during the trip itself.
Experts say these findings underscore the critical role of short cross-border travel in Ghana’s socio-economic fabric, linking trade, culture, and regional mobility in ways that support both livelihoods and cross-border cooperation.
By Vera Owusu Sarpong