ANALYSING INBOUND TOURISTS' PERCEPTIONS OF GHANA

Abstract

It is almost axiomatic to state that a destination's image determines to a large extent its allure and subsequently, its level of patronage. Though image can be formed either by a marketing agency or from the experiences of the tourist, it is the impressions of the tourist which appear to give a true and a more plausible representation of what pertains in the destination. In this regard, post trip perceptions are important to understanding the perspective of the tourist. This paper aims at collating such views and exploring the underpinning socio-demographic dynamics. In this study, five hundred departing tourists were chosen using the accidental sampling method over a four month and their views on various qualitative aspects of the tourist product, • including safety and security, purpose of visit, and service quality, were solicited. The Chisquare and One-way Anova results show that socio-demographic variables such as age, sex and continent of origin shape tourists' perceptions of the country.