Sustaining the night: a conceptual framework for sustainable evening and night-time tourism in Ghanaian cities

Evening and night-time tourism are helping urban tourism expand competitively, provide cultural vibrancy, and diversify the economy. Night life, festivals, cuisine, and creativity-based sectors have grown in Ghanaian cities, but little is known about the night-time economy’s sustainability, especially in African cities. This study developed a conceptual framework for sustainable evening and night-time tourism development in Ghanaian cities using a conceptual research design based on thematic analysis of sustainable tourism, urban governance, creative economies, and night-time economies literature. The analysis found four interrelated pillars that enable sustainable night-time tourism: governance and policy, socio-cultural vitality, environmental stewardship, and economic resilience. Safety and security, infrastructure and urban design, and digital innovation also support sustainable night-time tourism. The study advances sustainable tourism and night-time economy literature in urban African cities, a largely untapped environment, and proposes a contextually tailored paradigm for tourism cities. This framework serves as helpful guidance for policymakers, urban planners, and tourist authorities in developing sustainable, resilient, and competitive urban night-time tourism destinations.