ABSTRACT

In Ghana, traditional festivals (TFs) account for the largest flow of domestic tourists. This chapter argues that a common theme in which all stakeholders, from host communities and organisers to service providers, attendees and sponsors, can find a niche is the product approach. It seeks to demonstrate that the product approach enriches the discourse on TFs within the larger context of tourism development by bringing convergence to an otherwise disparate field. The product attributes are common to all TFs, irrespective of type, scale, age or level of popularity. The product approach greatly enhances the discourse on TFs within the larger context of tourism development and facilitates the generation of theories. TFs have attracted increased attention as the leading triggers of domestic tourist flow in Ghana. From a tourism perspective, however, the conceptual bases of most scholarly works are as convoluted as the festival types.