They said players in the sector were gradually folding up because the industry had been saddled with levies as if it were a “gold mine” coupled with high

The hoteliers at a meeting with heads of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) in Ho on the yet-to-be-implemented Destination Tourism Single Window (DTSW), called on government and stakeholders to help the industry grow by reducing the tax burden.

Alex Boakye, Head of Quality Assurance, GTA, admitted the slow growth of the industry, and said a process had been initiated to address the concerns.

Nana Twum Barimah, Head of Research, Statistics and Information, GTA, said the DTSW was a project targeted at raising standards, promoting excellence and improving services in the tourism industry.

He said the portal would streamline payments and reservations in the hospitality sector to make services easier and accessible to all.

Nana Barimah said the platform would also help in fiscal accountability of the sector, and generate more revenue for development.

–

Source: GNA

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The hotels were situated at Adawso, Mamfe, Akropong, Abiriw, Adukrom, Aburi and Akuapem.

According to the Ghana Tourism Authority, the dilapidated forms  of the hotels posed a serious threat to customers who patronise the facilities.

The Eastern Regional Manager of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Rudolf Adjei Fredrick who spoke to Citi News indicated that the enforcement exercise was necessary to protect patrons of the hotels because the facilities operated without required license and also failed to meet standards and regulations of such facilities.

He said “this enforcement exercise is important because for every business or venture you want to involve yourself in this country there are rules and regulations governing it and in the hospitality industry before you can operate you need to licenced by the Ghana Tourism Authority but we have come to the realization that there are a lot of units operating in the region without license and this exercise is trying to minimize the number of units operating without a valid license from the Tourism Authority by enforcing closure on those that we have identified until they go through the proper registration process.”
He added that “one of the reasons most they have not come to register and operating without license is that they know their facilities are not fit to meet our standards and requirements for this matter they are given substandard services to people and is of this reason we want to protect Ghanaians who patronize these hotels.”

Frederick Adjei Rudolf however pleaded on patrons of hotels to only patronize Ghana Tourism Authority certified hotels for their own safety and cautioned owners of illegal hotels to come and register or face sanctions.

FULL LIST OF HOTELS CLOSED DOWN

GHANA TOURISM AUTHORITY:

EASTERN REGIONAL ENFORCEMENT EXERCISE OF ACCOMMODATION

AND CATERING ESTABLISHMENTS OPERATING ILLEGALLY

1st DAY OF ENFORCEMENT: TUESDAY, 15TH AUGUST

1. New Day Hotel-Adawso (operating without license)

2. Oparebea Guesthouse-Mampong (operating without license)
3. Awo Denkyira Hotel -Aburi (operating without license)
4. Ansah Hotel-Dawu (operating without license)

5. Jewel Royal-Awukuguah (operating without license)

6. O N Hospitality-Adukrom (operating without license)
7. Lalobi Guesthouse-Adukrom (operating without license)
8. Sabato Hotel-Adukrom (operating without license)

9. Homeita Guesthouse-Akropong (operating without license)

2nd DAY OF ENFORCEMENT: WEDNESDAY, 16 AUGUST 2017

1. Owusu Memorial-Osiem (Operating without operational license)
2. Balmes Hotel-Tafo (Failure to pick up provisional license)
3. Nanom Hotel-Jumapo (operating without operational license)
4. Ekus Royal-Nsawam(operating without operational license)
5. Spino Lodge-Nsawam (operating without operational license)
6. Translink Hotel-Koforidua (Failure to pay tourism levy)
7. Handsmade – Koforidua (To ascertain actual status)

3rd DAY OF ENFORCEMENT: THURSDAY, 17TH AUGUST 2017

1. Omama Hotel -Asuom (operating without operational license)
2. Homebed Hotel -Akim Oda (operating without operational license)
3. Akua Nyame Gardens Hote -Akim Anomase(operating without operational license)
4. Assah Guest House main – Akim Oda (Operating without operational license)
5. Assah Guest House Annex – Akim Oda (Not Registered and not licensed)

4TH DAY OF ENFORCEMENT: FRIDAY, 18TH AUGUST 2017

1. Nene Ekpeku Hotel -Somanya (operating without operational license)
2. Rehoboch Hotel -Akwamufie(operating without operational license)
3. Ofie Ne Fie Hotel -Akwamufie(operating without operational license)
4. De-Kay Hotel -Kpong (failure to pick provisional license)

–

By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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He denied media reports that there was exorbitant spending at the forum.

According to Mr. Cudjoe, who is President of policy think tank, IMANI Ghana, his checks show that $200 was spent on each participant rather than the speculated $3,000.

There has been a raging debate about the cost of the National Economic Forum held last week to deliberate on ways and means to get the country’s economy back on track.

The participants included former Governors of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), former Finance Ministers, government officials, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), political parties excluding the New Patriotic Party (NPP), heads of institutions and some policy think-tanks.

Some have argued that government could have chosen a less costly venue for the forum considering the current economic challenges.

But speaking on Citi FM’s news and current affairs programme, The Big Issue, the IMANI Ghana boss said government must as a matter of urgency, come out with cost of the forum.

He noted that 81 participants were resident at Senchi “and the top line budget was about $200 per person including, food. And the food was great.”

Mr. Cudjoe revealed he has traveled to 47 countries and counting, “but this Senchi is excellent and I would have charged $400 per person instead of the $200 including food.”

He questioned why spokespersons of the government have as at now, not made public, the detailed information of the cost of the forum despite the widely speculated cost in the media.

The information, he said, if disclosed to the public will put to rest “some of the negative comments.”

A governance analyst, Dr. Jemima Agyare was however of the opinion that government could have chosen a different venue for the forum.

“In our current economic climate…I think that perhaps, the venue could have been a bit more sensitive as to the economic plight of the average Ghanaian.”

She mentioned that Ghanaians are now eagerly waiting to see the benefit of the deliberations at Senchi; bearing in mind that, the tax payers money was used in funding the forum.

By: Efua Idan Osam/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @osamidan

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