This study investigates how beach development in Cape Coast, Ghana, shapes both local economic outcomes and coastal environmental conditions. Anchored in sustainable tourism development theory, the study evaluates the extent to which tourism-driven coastal transformations balance economic growth, environmental protection, and community benefits. A qualitative exploratory design was used, with purposive sampling applied to select thirty-two respondents, including managers, employees, and city officials. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews complemented by field observations. The findings indicate that beach development has generated meaningful economic benefits, particularly through employment creation and increased demand for local goods and services. Environmentally, several operators have adopted sustainable practices such as replanting coconut trees, introducing energy-efficient lighting, reducing single-use plastics, and integrating natural ventilation into facility design. These efforts have contributed to cleaner beach environments and improved visitor experiences. Nonetheless, substantial challenges remain. Financial limitations undermine consistent infrastructure upgrades and environmental management, while inadequate sanitation and waste collection systems contribute to persistent littering along the coastline. Weak regulatory enforcement by the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly further allows irregular development and poor waste disposal to persist. The study concludes that, although beach development is contributing positively to both economic and environmental conditions, its long-term sustainability depends on strengthened financial investment, improved waste management systems, and more consistent enforcement of coastal regulations. The insights generated may inform broader efforts to promote environmentally responsible coastal tourism in similar African settings.

This study examined revenue management practices, their effectiveness in optimizing revenue streams, the impact of emerging technologies, and the challenges faced by hotels in the Cape Coast Metropolis. Through qualitative interviews with ten hotel managers, key insights were uncovered regarding dynamic pricing, inventory control, market segmentation, and targeted promotions. For instance, hotels adjust room rates based on real-time demand, increasing prices during peak seasons and offering discounts in low-demand periods. Targeted promotions, such as corporate travel packages and repeat guest discounts, were also common strategies to enhance customer retention. Despite these strategies, challenges persist, including fluctuating market demand, ensuring rate parity across distribution channels, and internal limitations such as inadequate staff training and resource constraints. Managers reported difficulties in maintaining consistent pricing across online travel agencies (OTAs) and direct booking platforms, which sometimes led to booking leakages and customer dissatisfaction. Additionally, balancing revenue optimization with guest satisfaction remained a key concern. The integration of emerging technologies, such as AI-driven pricing models, predictive analytics, and automated revenue management systems, has provided hotels with a competitive edge. Some hotels have adopted AI-powered forecasting tools to predict demand, enabling optimal pricing decisions, while others utilize automated revenue management software to dynamically adjust inventory distribution. The study recommends that hotels invest in sophisticated revenue management software and advanced analytics tools to improve forecasting accuracy. Continuous staff training in data interpretation, market research, and AI applications should also be prioritized to enhance decision-making and optimize revenue management strategies.

Heritage tourism destinations in sub-Saharan Africa face a persistent tension between economic growth imperatives and social equity. This study examines how stakeholder collaboration shapes sustainable tourism outcomes in Cape Coast, Ghana, a UNESCO World Heritage destination where tourism governance remains critically underexamined in the academic literature. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed. Quantitative data were collected from 399 community residents and tourism businesses through questionnaires and analysed using one-sample t-tests and Cohen’s d effect size estimates. Twenty-one (21) purposively sampled key informants provided qualitative depth. The study found that tourism generates statistically significant improvements in financial stability (mean = 4.02; Cohen’s d = 0.80, large effect) and employment in Cape Coast. Three governance deficits emerged from thematic analysis: policy invisibility, exclusion from decision-making, and weak inter-institutional coordination. Also, social tensions that emerged from the study include cultural commodification and inequitable benefit distribution. The cross-sectional design limits causal inference, and the single-destination focus constrains generalisability.

Cape Coast is a prominent tourism destination in Ghana, distinguished by its historical landmarks, coastal ecosystems, and cultural heritage. Yet the city faces mounting threats from environmental hazards such as coastal erosion, flooding, extreme heat, and lagoon degradation, which directly compromise the sustainability of its tourism sector. Guided by the Sustainable Tourism Development Theory (STDT) and the Tourism Resilience and Adaptation Theory (TRAT), this study investigates the impacts of these hazards on tourism development, the effectiveness of current disaster risk reduction (DRR) strategies, and the roles of key stakeholders in building sectoral resilience. Using a qualitative research design, data were collected through in-depth interviews with eighteen stakeholders comprising four policymakers, six community leaders, five tourism business operators, and three representatives from non-governmental organisations, alongside documentary analysis of four institutional reports. The study contributes to the literature by demonstrating that fragmented, reactive DRR strategies and weak stakeholder coordination undermine Cape Coast’s tourism resilience, and by showing how urban natural assets, a dimension largely neglected in existing tourism–DRR scholarship, are central to both hazard exposure and adaptive capacity. The findings call for integrated, ecosystem-based DRR frameworks that align governance mechanisms with sustainable tourism imperatives.

Cape Coast, Ghana, has substantial heritage, coastal, cultural and educational assets, yet visitor activity remains concentrated at Cape Coast Castle, where recorded visits rose from 101,134 in 2023 to 141,523 in 2025. This study examines how these assets are governed and where the links between them break down. A qualitative, multi-source design combined policy documents, in-depth interviews with 26 tourists, a tourism resource assessment, and an exploratory review of the city's sister cities (Bonn, Little Rock and New Orleans). Interviews were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, and draft findings were discussed with 32 stakeholders at a consultative workshop. Eight recurring gaps emerged, including weak institutional coordination, limited visitor services and information, narrow product diversification, and limited community participation. Read through Arnstein's ladder of participation, residents and small businesses appear mainly as consultees rather than shared decision-makers, a pattern termed policy invisibility. The findings are perceptual and non-generalizable, and the sister-city material offers ideas rather than transferable models. A phased, indicative framework aligned with the Eight-Year Development Plan (2026–2033) is proposed, pending baseline measurement. The paper argues that Cape Coast's central task is coordination across institutions and districts rather than adding attractions.