Stakeholder Engagement in Tourism Development: Exploring the Perceptions of Residents of the Ahanta West Municipality in the Western Region of Ghana

Abstract

Although tourism policies are essential for guiding industry growth, their effectiveness ultimately depends on meaningful local engagement, which remains limited in practice despite policy commitments, as seen in the Ahanta West Municipality. This study addresses the gap between policy and implementation by examining how residents perceive their role in tourism governance and identifying the institutional and political barriers that hinder their active participation. The study employed a pragmatic philosophy where mixed method approach with stratified random sampling, using a sample size of 365. SPSS (version 27.0) was used to analyse data collected across six communities in the AWMA, using means, standard deviation, exploratory factor and thematic analysis. The study revealed some notable gaps in inclusivity, communication, and representation among stakeholders in the development of tourism in the municipality, especially with regard to the exclusion of women, youth, NGOs, and private sector actors. In order to overcome these shortcomings, the study recommended that AWMA implements a more participatory governance model that promotes cultural and environmental values, incorporates a variety of viewpoints, and use digital means to improve transparency and community responsiveness. In addition to ensuring long-term sustainability in tourism governance, these reforms were thought to be crucial for offering other districts dealing with comparable issues a reproducible model.