Mission
To connect Ghana and Europe through authentic cultural experiences, tourism promotion, creative enterprise, trade and responsible investment.
Ghana to Europe
A Ghanaian Cultural and Economic Platform in Europe
The Afro-Star Tourism & Arts Festival is an international programme created to present Ghana's heritage, creative talent, tourism offer and business potential to European audiences.
ASTAF will be hosted in the Netherlands from 30 October to 1 November 2026. The three-day programme will bring together artists, musicians, designers, filmmakers, cultural leaders, tourism businesses, exporters, investors, diaspora organisations, institutions and members of the public.
The festival responds to a simple need. Ghana has exceptional cultural assets and a growing creative economy, but many creators and tourism businesses still lack direct access to international buyers, finance, production resources and distribution. At the same time, European audiences are looking for more authentic ways to encounter Africa, while companies and institutions want credible local partners.
ASTAF creates a meeting point for these interests. Culture draws people in. Tourism gives them a reason to travel. Business and investment can turn the relationship into long-term value.
The setting
Why the Netherlands
The Netherlands has a long historical relationship with Ghana and is an important gateway to the European market. It has established Ghanaian and African diaspora communities, strong international transport links and a culture of trade, design, arts and global engagement.
Hosting ASTAF in the Netherlands allows Ghanaian creators and businesses to meet European audiences in a practical, accessible setting. It also gives Dutch organisations a direct route into Ghanaian partnerships, tourism opportunities and creative projects.
ASTAF will approach this shared history honestly and with a forward-looking purpose. The festival is not designed to romanticise the past. It will use culture, dialogue and enterprise to build a more balanced relationship for the future.
Our Purpose
A Platform with a Practical Direction
Vision
A recognised annual platform through which Ghanaian culture reaches international audiences, European visitors discover Ghana, and investment supports creative and tourism businesses based in Ghana.
Objectives
- To present Ghanaian culture to European audiences through music, film, design, fashion, visual arts and performance.
- To promote Ghana as a tourism destination and connect European visitors with local tourism businesses.
- To create opportunities for Ghanaian creators and businesses to meet European buyers, investors and partners.
- To facilitate dialogue between Ghanaian and European cultural institutions, government agencies and business networks.