Accra, June 10, GNA – The Tour Operators Union of Ghana (TOUGHA) has expressed grave concern over the ongoing challenges regarding significant delays in the issuance of visas to Ghana, particularly at the Ghana Embassy in Washington, DC, United States.

A statement issued by Madam Yvonne Donkor, President, TOUGHA, copied to the Ghana News Agency said this development had caused widespread distress to potential travelers and had critically disrupted the operations of their member tour companies.

It said over the past several weeks, an alarming number of passports submitted for visa processing at the Ghana Embassy in Washington, DC, had remained unreturned.

It said travelers, many of whom had long-standing plans to visit Ghana for cultural heritage, tourism, business, and family purposes, were left in limbo—uncertain about travel dates, unable to retrieve their passports, and deeply frustrated by the lack of clear communication.

TOUGHA said this unfortunate situation had had a devastating impact on their members, especially during what should be the first major peak season of the year, a time that coincides with summer breaks and the “Back to Africa” heritage travel movement.

It said Ghana had earned a reputation as a leading heritage tourism destination, especially for the African American community and diaspora.

It noted that these visa delays not only threaten this reputation but were also undermining the efforts of Ghanaian tour operators who had invested heavily in marketing, logistics and preparation for incoming tours.

The statement said TOUGHA members were facing massive cancellations of tours and bookings, and financial losses due to non-refundable prepayments made to hotels, transport companies, and other service providers.

Others are damaged to business reputation with international partners and travelers and emotional distress and frustration as years of goodwill and trust were eroded overnight.

It said as TOUGHA, they were calling for immediate intervention by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to resolve the backlog at the Ghana Embassy in Washington, DC, and an urgent communication from the Ghana Embassy in Washington, DC to affected travelers and tour operators on the status of pending visa applications and the retrieval of passports.

Others are establishment of an emergency task force to fast-track visa processing for travelers with imminent travel dates and review of Ghana’s visa issuance systems abroad, with the aim of adopting efficient, digitised and traveler friendly processes.

The rest are engagement with stakeholders, including the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, the Ghana Tourism Authority, and the Ghana Immigration Service, to ensure better coordination and foresight during peak travel seasons.

It said TOUGHA reiterates their commitment to promoting Ghana as a welcoming, accessible, and attractive destination.

It noted that, however, they could not do this alone.

It said Government institutions, particularly our diplomatic missions, must match their efforts by ensuring that access to Ghana remains smooth, efficient, and dependable.

“We urge all relevant authorities to act swiftly and decisively,” the statement said.

It noted that the damage to Ghana’s image and the tourism sector was mounting by the day, and the livelihoods of many Ghanaian businesses and workers were at stake.

GNA

Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adade