The closure of McDan Aviation’s private jet terminal at Kotoka International Airport due to a $3 million debt has sparked concerns over its potential economic and reputational impact.
The CEO of McDan Aviation has warned that the shutdown threatens Ghana’s tourism ambitions and could disrupt a network of businesses reliant on the terminal.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on December 30, 2024, the CEO highlighted the financial and reputational damage to stakeholders, including the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), which benefits from royalties generated by the terminal.
He also expressed worries that the closure undermines government efforts to establish Ghana as a leading tourism hub in the region.
“The problem is that this goes beyond us. It will affect us in the way we do business. It will also affect our reputation, but beyond us, so many vendors work for us. Some people supply to us, people who clean, provide catering services and it affects all those people.
“So, there is a cascading effect and beyond them is the airport company themselves. Ghana Airport Company is due royalty from us based on the revenues we get from the terminal. So, the longer we get shut down, they also lose money. But it’s not just financial losses that this has an impact on. It also has reputational damage to the country.
“Imagine, you travel on a private jet into a private terminal and you hear on the news that the terminal is shut down. What kind of impression would you get about that country? It is the same issue we are having here. When these things happen, the reputation damage is not just to us, it is a whole ecosystem of people that it affects.
“Beyond that, it also impacts the country as a tourism hub. The government has put in a lot of effort to make Ghana the tourism destination of choice for tourists and that is going to be affected,” he stated.
