Nzulezo, a unique village built wholly on stilts on an open lake in the Western Region of Ghana is one of the major tourist attraction in the country which attracts thousands of tourists every year.
It contributes majorly to the country’s tourist revenue due to it popularity and attraction, but the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the narrative as things go worse for this small village.
Speaking to a resident of the village who also owns a guest house meant for tourists revealed, business is not as good as it used to be and people do not visit anymore. He indicated it has gotten to a situation that there will not be a single visit in two (2) months which is very unusual as Nzulezo is concerned.
He said, “Pre COVID-19 season, you could see about 10 buses full of tourists coming to visit Nzulezo. But you cannot see that anymore, there will not be a single visit by tourists in about two (2) months which is very unusual and bad for business. I have closed my guest house since nobody is coming and I survive with the fish I catch from the lake with my family”
Moreover, the resident also indicated he has not had a single customer at his guest house for over a year and is hoping for things to get back to normal after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Apparently, he is not the only person in Nzulezo affected by the situation but all inhabitants of the village including men who use canoe to transport tourists to the village. Since tourists are not coming in, they need to find alternative means to survive which is sometimes difficult because there is no business for them. Their souvenirs and other products meant for tourists which is normally sold out in a week or a day are still with them for about a year now.