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Ghana pushes for MICE tourism growth as GTDC backs PA Conference 2026

Some of the stakeholders at the event

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 Source: Kwesi Boham, Contributor

Ghana is intensifying efforts to position Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) as a key pillar of its tourism strategy, with the Ghana Tourism Development Company (GTDC) backing the upcoming PA Conference 2026 in Accra.

Chief Executive Officer of GTDC, Professor Kobby Mensah, speaking at the media launch held on April 22, 2026, at Labadi Beach Hotel, explained the company’s reason for sponsoring the conference.

“Ghana Tourism Development Company is one of the 13 agencies under the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts, with the responsibility to promote, develop, and bring innovation into our tourism space. We are usually referred to as the commercial arm of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture, and Creative Arts.

“Our role in this particular conference is to support and help grow conferences like this because they are essential to the tourism sector,” he said.

Professor Kobby Mensah further underscored the importance of the MICE subsector, describing it as central to the country’s long-term tourism growth agenda.

“We have a subsector called MICE, which stands for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions, and it is the goal of this administration to ensure that MICE becomes one of the top tourism products and services in Ghana,” he stated.

The endorsement comes as FiveSixFive Limited officially unveiled the sixth edition of the PA Conference, positioning it as both a professional development platform and a contributor to Ghana’s growing conference tourism ecosystem.

The event is scheduled to take place from July 23 to 24, 2026, at Labadi Beach Hotel and is expected to attract about 250 administrative professionals from across West Africa, including delegates from Nigeria, The Gambia, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and Mali.

Beyond its focus on professional capacity building, the conference themed “The Strategic Architect: Mastering Influence, Tech & Institutional Excellence” is also expected to stimulate economic activity within Ghana’s hospitality and tourism sectors.

Speaking at the launch, Managing Partner of FiveSixFive Limited, Maame Ekua Gaisey, highlighted the event’s professional and economic impact.

According to her, the conference will drive demand for tourism centres in the country while creating opportunities for small businesses to engage with a wider market.

“For PA Conference 2026, we are looking at bringing professionals together to learn about influence, technology, and how to elevate the profession from the boardroom through to operations,” she said.

She also pointed to the regional outlook of the conference and Ghana’s strategic positioning within the sub-region.

“We are looking at the sub-region because, as we say, we are the gateway to Africa,” she added.

Organisers say the conference will feature expert-led sessions, panel discussions, and practical workshops focused on leadership, digital transformation and strategic communication.

Additional activities will include curated cultural tours, exhibition opportunities for micro, small, and medium enterprises, as well as Francophone translation services and virtual participation to broaden access.

With institutional backing and growing regional interest, PA Conference 2026 is expected to further strengthen Ghana’s reputation as a preferred destination for international conferences and business events.

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