Tourism, according to Prince Anthony Bart-Appiah, should go beyond sightseeing. For him, it is a tool to reconnect Africa with its global diaspora and facilitate emotional healing through shared heritage.
Through his organization, The BridgeZone Global, the Ghanaian cultural advocate is reshaping how visitors experience the country by offering immersive and meaningful activities such as traditional naming ceremonies, kente weaving lessons, and home-cooked meals with local families.
“This isn’t just about visiting a new place, it’s about coming home.”
His approach has drawn interest from both tourists and notable figures in the diaspora. Celebrities like Quad Webb and Nene Leakes have participated in BridgeZone tours, and television shows including Married to Medicine have featured segments highlighting Ghana’s culture.
Since the launch of Ghana’s Year of Return in 2019, initiatives like Bart-Appiah’s have contributed to a growing wave of diaspora visits, particularly among African Americans, Afro-Caribbeans, and Afro-Latinos. Heritage sites such as Cape Coast Castle and Elmina Castle have become key destinations for visitors tracing their roots and grappling with the history of the transatlantic slave trade.
Beyond cultural tourism, Bart-Appiah has recently ventured into medical tourism, connecting visitors with local health professionals for services like dental care and cosmetic procedures—integrating cultural discovery with personal wellness.
As a strategist and cultural consultant, he combines marketing experience with grassroots activism to position Ghana as both a physical and spiritual destination for descendants of Africa worldwide. His Return Conversations initiative, developed in partnership with the Ghana Tourism Authority, is among several efforts to sustain momentum post-Year of Return.
Bart-Appiah frequently speaks at African heritage events in the Americas and contributes to Black History Month programs, further amplifying Ghana’s role in the global cultural dialogue.
“Every journey is more than a vacation,” he said. “It’s a return, a reconnection, and a rebuilding of our shared destiny.”
With growing global interest in heritage travel, initiatives like his suggest a continued rise in diaspora tourism—not only as a source of national revenue, but as a path toward cultural healing and identity restoration.
