Tourism

Trinidad & Tobago Moves Toward First-Ever Direct Flight to Ghana

Published

5 months ago

November 28, 2025

Trinidad and Tobago is preparing to make aviation history. For the first time, the Caribbean nation is exploring a direct air route to Ghana, a move poised to reshape tourism, business and cultural exchange between the Caribbean and West Africa.

The announcement, confirmed by Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister Satyakama Maharaj on 20 November 2025, has generated significant buzz across the African and Caribbean travel industries.

Early indications point to a partnership with Ethiopian Airlines, one of Africa’s largest and most experienced long-haul carriers, for an initial charter test flight from Port of Spain to Accra.

If successful, this would mark the first nonstop route connecting the two regions—an aviation milestone with enormous implications for diaspora mobility and transatlantic tourism.

*BWIA International – Trinidad and Tobago Airways. Image credit: Hugh McMillan, via Flickr*

A Route Years in the Making

The idea of a Caribbean–West Africa direct flight is not new. Trinidad’s prime minister signaled progress in 2024, but tangible aviation planning only began to accelerate this year. According to Minister Maharaj, talks with Ghanaian authorities are now advanced and supported by real-world technical checks.

One recent test flight, he noted, demonstrated that a transatlantic journey between the Caribbean and West Africa is both feasible and time-efficient. The route added just 90 minutes compared to Trinidad–Toronto travel times—a detail that has boosted stakeholder confidence.

Today, travelers moving between Trinidad and Ghana often endure multi-stop, 30–40 hour itineraries through New York, London or Amsterdam. A direct route would instantly transform that experience.

Why This Matters for the Diaspora

Trinidad and Tobago is home to a sizeable population with direct ancestral connections to West Africa—especially Ghana—due to transatlantic slavery and later migration flows. Ghana’s Year of Return (2019) and Beyond the Return initiatives spiked diaspora travel interest, yet many Caribbean residents remain deterred by lengthy and expensive flight connections.

A nonstop Trinidad–Accra corridor could change that.

It would offer:

Accessible heritage tourism for Afro-Caribbean travelers
Two-way cultural exchange between music, festivals, art and cuisine scenes
New circuits for multi-country African–Caribbean heritage tours
Student and academic travel pathways between universities and cultural institutions

A route long imagined for emotional reasons may now be within operational reach.

Aviation Strategy Meets Cultural Diplomacy

For Ghana, the move aligns with efforts to diversify long-haul connectivity beyond Europe and the Middle East. For Trinidad and Tobago, it strengthens its emerging diplomatic and economic ties with Ghana, including a new bilateral investment agreement and growing CARICOM–Africa dialogue.

Minister Maharaj also highlighted a practical business link:
Republic Bank Trinidad operates around 40 branches in Ghana, creating a steady flow of corporate travel. Enhanced connectivity could make the Caribbean a strategic hub for West African business activity.

A direct link is not just about tourism—it’s about commerce, conferences, logistics and investment mobility.

Airlines Are Watching Closely

Ethiopian Airlines is a natural early partner. It:

Has a long-haul-ready widebody fleet
Operates multiple transatlantic routes
Already connects Africa to South America
Maintains reliability ratings that Caribbean authorities value

At the same time, Caribbean Airlines is reportedly studying the viability of weekly or biweekly service. Operational details—fleet range, bilateral approvals, fuel economics—remain under examination, but aviation experts say the project has entered a serious evaluation phase.

If a charter phase succeeds, scheduled service may follow.

And as other Africa–Americas routes have shown—Johannesburg–São Paulo, Lagos–New York, Nairobi–Washington—direct flights create their own demand, often exceeding forecasted numbers.

A New Tourism Chapter for Both Regions

For the African tourism market, a Trinidad–Ghana link opens new possibilities:

West African festivals paired with Caribbean carnivals
Dual-destination itineraries marketed to the global Black diaspora
Wellness and culinary circuits linking jollof, callaloo and cacao cultures
Stronger trade-tourism integrations

On the Caribbean side, Trinidad and Tobago is redefining its tourism identity around diaspora connection, business mobility and lifestyle-driven travel. A Ghana route reinforces that ambition, positioning Port of Spain as a gateway between the Caribbean and West Africa.

Travel creator @trinitravelgirl, reacting to the news in a viral update, captured the excitement:

“This is great news… not only will it boost tourism and trade, it will help cultural exchange and business. Trinidad can soon become the direct gateway between the Caribbean and West Africa.”

She also announced plans to travel to Accra to document the destination for Caribbean audiences—a sign of the growing engagement between content creators, tourism boards and the diaspora community.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Trini Travel Girl™ (@trinitravelgirl)

What Comes Next?

In the coming months, observers expect:

Confirmation of charter test schedules
Bilateral aviation consultations
Tourism board partnerships
Market studies assessing demand from both regions

If all goes well, Trinidad and Tobago could soon sit at the center of a new transatlantic travel corridor, linking two regions bound by history but divided by geography.

The impact on tourism, business, heritage and identity could be transformative — a rare aviation development with economic weight and emotional resonance.

For the diaspora and global travelers seeking new cultural bridges, this may be one of the most promising routes to watch in 2026.

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Taste GH

Agbeli Kaklo: The Fried Dough That Tastes Like Afternoon in Accra

Published

1 day ago

April 13, 2026

Ama

The first bite crackles. The second one hums with heat—a whisper of chili and ginger tucked inside a golden-brown shell.

This is Agbeli Kaklo, Ghana’s beloved cassava snack, and once you’ve tasted it, you’ll understand why roadside vendors from Volta to Greater Accra can’t keep their baskets full.

Made from grated cassava mixed with spices, salt, and sometimes a hint of onion, the dough is rolled into small rings or rounds, then deep-fried until fiercely crunchy.

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The result is a snack that’s crispy outside, slightly chewy within, and utterly addictive. Unlike heavy breads or sugary treats, Agbeli Kaklo offers a savoury warmth that pairs perfectly with fresh coconut pieces or groundnuts.

You’ll find it most often in the late afternoons—sold from colourful plastic bowls balanced on women’s heads, or piled high on wooden trays near bus stops, school gates, and market entrances.

It’s the snack you reach for when hunger strikes between lunch and dinner, or when you simply want something real and handmade.

@vamidanu Agbeli Kaklo Recipe🥰.. find full recipe on my YouTube Channel #cassavaballs #agbelikaklo #bankyekakro #ghanatiktok #foryou #vamidanu #foodblog ♬ Sability – Ayra Starr

For visitors to Ghana, Agbeli Kaklo is a perfect introduction to street food culture: affordable, flavorful, and deeply local. For Ghanaians, it’s nostalgia fried to a crunch. One bite, and you’re home.

Sights and Sounds

Catch the Perfect Wave: Why Busua Beach Is West Africa’s Surfing Soul

Published

1 day ago

April 13, 2026

Ama

The Atlantic rolls in with purpose here—not the lazy lap of a lake, but a deep, muscular pulse that’s been traveling thousands of miles just to break against Busua’s golden curve. Surfers straddle their boards beyond the foam line, waiting.

A local fisherman hauls his painted canoe up the sand, singing highlife under his breath. Somewhere behind the coconut palms, a woman grills fresh catch over charcoal, the smoke curling into an impossible blue sky.

This is Busua Beach, Ghana’s laid-back surfing headquarters, where the vibe is as warm as the water and the waves don’t ask for permission.

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Stretching along the Western Region’s coastline, Busua isn’t a polished resort strip—it’s a working fishing village that happens to catch world-class swells from April to October.

The beach itself is a broad sweep of pale sand, backed by thatched-roof lodges and the rusted hulk of a colonial-era fort on a nearby hill.

Beginners find gentle rollers near shore, while experienced riders paddle out to sharper breaks. Local instructors—many of them self-taught—offer affordable lessons and board rentals, laughing as they teach you to read the ocean like a story.

But Busua isn’t just about surfing. When the tide goes out, tide pools reveal starfish and tiny crabs. You can hike to Fort Batenstein for sunset views, kayak the calm inlet, or simply sway in a hammock with a cold coconut. At night, drum circles spark up on the sand, and the sound of reggae drifts from beach bars.

You don’t come to Busua to conquer nature. You come to remember that adventure doesn’t have to be frantic—sometimes it’s just you, a board, and the deep green heartbeat of the Atlantic.

Tourism

Visa-Free Travel vs Free Visa – What Ghana’s New Policy for Africans Really Means

Published

3 days ago

April 12, 2026

GNG Staff

Accra, Ghana – As Ghana prepares to roll out a landmark travel policy granting easier access to all African passport holders from May 25, 2026, many people are confused about the difference between “visa-free travel” and “free visa.”

The two terms sound similar but have very different practical implications.

Visa-Free Travel means citizens from eligible countries do not need to apply for a visa at all. They can simply travel with a valid passport and enter the country without prior approval or payment. This is the most open form of mobility. For example, Ghana and Zambia recently agreed on visa-free entry for each other’s citizens — meaning Ghanaians and Zambians can travel between the two countries without applying for any visa.

Free Visa, on the other hand, still requires travellers to submit a visa application and obtain approval before travel.

The only advantage is that the usual visa processing fee is waived. According to President John Dramani Mahama’s announcement, this is the model Ghana will adopt for all African passport holders starting May 25. Africans will need to apply and get approved, but they will not pay any application fees.

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There is also a third system known as Visa on Arrival, where eligible travellers can apply for and receive a visa immediately upon arrival at the airport or border (usually after paying a fee).

Ghana’s new policy is a major step toward greater intra-African mobility and reflects the country’s commitment to Pan-Africanism and the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

While it is not full visa-free travel, it significantly reduces the financial and bureaucratic burden for Africans wishing to visit Ghana for tourism, business, or family reasons.