At Brama Eco Beach Resort, guests can expect more. With 20 high quality bungalows with harmonious design concepts, everyone will find an oasis of relaxation. At the back of the resort, several glamping tents are hidden in the lush greenery. Here you can relax, listen to the birds and find peace and quiet. For those with a head for heights, there are treehouse bungalows nestled among the palm trees. At a height of over three metres, they offer a special experience with magnificent sea views, while preserving the palm trees that are so important to the region. The villas in the ‘front row’ offer the most spectacular views of the fine sandy beach, the expanse of the sea and the horizon – nothing disturbs the relaxing view into the distance. The beauty of the place can be felt in all its purity and intensity.

Brama Eco Beach Resort is not only for those seeking relaxation. Together with tourism experts who know the Ghanaian market, we have developed a wide range of activities tailored to our target group. Sports and wellness options range from yoga and spa treatments to water sports equipment and our Tropical Gym. Tastings and cooking classes offer a taste of culture and tradition. A variety of events and themed activities round out the offerings.

The resort has a first class restaurant serving regional and seasonal cuisine and a large, expansive pool with pool bar right on the ocean – a rarity in comparable resorts. Guests also have access to a secluded meeting room where work and vacation can be combined – the perfect environment for creative processes or team-building events. Couples who want to fulfil their dream of getting married under palm trees can say ‘I do’ on our romantic wedding pier. The spa, which is also open to day guests, is sure to be a crowd-puller. It also makes us an attractive destination for local guests – especially city dwellers – because there is hardly any other place that offers so much.

Sustainability is at the heart of our concept. The products used to prepare the dishes in our restaurant come from neighbouring farmers and fishermen or from our own garden. There is also a strong emphasis on the use of local resources in the construction of the building and its furnishings. Wherever possible, we aim to use local materials and the expertise of local craftsmen. By involving the local community and using regional products from small, sustainable family farms, both guests and the region benefit. Sustainability and trying to look at the project as holistically as possible is very important to us. We have explained our intentions in more detail on the Facts and Figures page.

Because we consider it important that our students receive a sound practical education, we believe it makes sense for them to be taught and mentored by professionals in the field – from the kitchen to hotel management. This not only strengthens their practical skills, but also gives them access to the tourism network.

We have therefore developed a modular course system with German certification standards. The courses are generally accessible without a high-school diploma and are built upon each other. With courses lasting three to six months, we can respond much more specifically to actual demand. At the same time, the course structure is flexible: it is just as possible to deepen one’s knowledge in a particular area as it is to complete the full three-year course programme.

Finding well-trained, service-minded staff is difficult, especially in the upscale hotel industry. Professionals who know what they do can also develop the entire sector, raise standards and quality, and thus further enhance Ghana’s attractiveness as a hospitality and tourism destination – with all the positive effects this has on the economy as a whole.

We want to make the training relevant to life and provide skills in kitchen, service and hotel management, as well as knowledge in other areas. This includes language development in French as an important basis for breaking down language barriers when dealing with tourists, from French-speaking neighbouring countries for example, as well as general communication and negotiation skills. Computer literacy is nowadays almost a basic requirement. There will also be the opportunity to work in the resort’s own garden and learn how to grow vegetables. Theoretical knowledge about nutrition, health and food safety is important to us and environmental education should be promoted from the very beginning.

We strongly believe that the personal wellbeing and development of our students has a significant impact on their professional success. Therefore, we place great emphasis on community and support young people in socialising and making friends. The school building is designed so that there are plenty of places to eat, share experiences and build relationships.

Through individual support, practical applications, holistic learning and respectful interpersonal relationships, we aim to equip our students with the skills they need to lead successful and self-determined lives.

For tourists, the place is very promising: even inside the resort, local traditions and practices can be discovered. One of the highlights is the hustle and bustle of the fishermen in their handmade, colourfully painted wooden boats, which moor on the beach in the early hours of the morning. Guests can watch this centuries-old tradition, which is characteristic of Ghana’s coastline, or even choose freshly caught fish to be prepared in the restaurant.

There are many places to visit in the vicinity of Bobrama: For those interested in culture, there are the numerous forts that bear witness to the slave trade of the colonial era, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the stilt village of Nzulezo or the legendary rock sanctuary of Wassa Domama. Nature lovers will find an incredible variety of flora and fauna in the Amanzule Wetlands or the Ankasa Nature Reserve, some of which can only be found there. Many of these places have not yet been developed for mass tourism, so you can visit them at a more intimate and undisturbed pace.

Fishing, while being a traditional craft, also has its downsides: it is one of the few ways of earning a living in the region and the only source of income for many people. Training in another field is often futile due to the lack of work in this field. Fishing is also a man’s business; women and girls are virtually invisible in public life. They stay at home and try to earn extra money by cooking and making handicrafts. As there are hardly any buyers for these products, poverty is comparatively high throughout the region, education levels are low and opportunities for advancement are practically non-existent.

Strengthening local economic structures and improving living standards and career prospects is a key concern for us. We are using local materials and employing local workers to build the resort. The community of Bobrama has been involved in the process from the very beginning. Even before the academy and resort open their doors, we want to start with smaller projects that are primarily run by local people. We want to establish different ways of earning money and participating in the project, so that everyone can contribute according to their strengths, and so that not only the economy but also the sense of being part of the community grows.

We want to preserve the palm trees in the resort. This will allow the farmers to continue to harvest and sell the coconuts. In the shop we sell dried fruits, spices, handicrafts and textiles from local production, from which the women in particular will benefit. We rent and renovate houses in the village for boarders and staff. Our aim is to maintain and develop existing and functional structures. We see this as an opportunity to create a symbiosis that will ultimately provide the people of Bobrama with a platform to start and develop their own businesses, open up new areas of employment and build up the community.