Your leisure, my space: using residents’ perceptions as indicators in sustainable coastal tourism development in Ghana

Abstract

For many developing countries tourism is an important vehicle for economic and social development. However the challenges of developing tourism sustainably remain ever daunting. Tourism in Ghana has experienced rapid expansion during the recent decades. The coastal zone because of its unique environment has been the target of many developments, putting the area under further pressure. Unfortunately the perceptions of those impacted most by these developments are ignored. This paper analyzes three elements that should be considered if tourism is to be sustainably developed, namely, the extent of tourism impacts, local residents’ perceptions and their levels of participation. The results show that in the areas where the benefits of tourism were well recognized by respondents there was a higher level of satisfaction which translated into higher levels of participation. Highlighting the need for sustainable development of coastal tourism, the paper recommends the completion of Ghana’s Integrated Coastal Zone Management plan among others.