Residents’ stated preference for scale of tourism development in Danish-Osu, Ghana

This paper originates from a concern about the potential challenges for sustainable urban development associated with large-scale tourism development. Residents’ preferences for appropriate scale of tourism development were examined in Danish-Osu, Ghana, in terms of its geographical setting and nature of its cultural heritage assets. Danish-Osu is a former Slave Route site which currently serves both as the political heartbeat of Ghana and a residential area with enormous potential for promoting slavery heritage tourism. Results indicate that the community lacks some basic social infrastructure and therefore have an inclination for large-scale tourism development to remedy the situation. Recommendations made for a tourism product that takes cognizance of the spatial structure and high density of the built environment is based on a residents’ survey undertaken between October and December 2007.

► Danish-Osu because of its history has enormous potential for slavery heritage tourism.
► Pressures on land for commercial purposes has dire consequences for urban planning.
► Residents support large-scale development of tourism in their community.