The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) as part of a nation-wide enforcement
exercise to clamp down on tourism enterprises operating without license
from the Authority, has closed down two tourism facilities in Accra.
The facilities, Villaggio Vista and Airport Side Hotel, have been
given a 24-hour ultimatum to rectify and ensure they meet the
requirements for immediate reopening.
Addressing the media before the exercise, Mr Akwasi Agyemang, Chief
Executive Officer of the GTA, said in line with the Tourism Act any
tourism enterprise before establishment needed to go through
registration and licensing by the Authority.
He said offenders were liable on summary conviction to a fine of not
more than one hundred penalty units or imprisonment for a term of not
more than six months or to both.
He said the exercise was mainly to weed out illegal operators as
well as sensitize legal operators who did not meet the minimum standards
set by the law, saying it was a way of cleaning up the industry and
making sure operators worked within the confines of the law.
“For those whose standards do not meet the requirements, we would
give them the opportunity to rectify and do the right thing, if they
comply we would give them the right to reopen for business, but those
who are operating illegally they would be ask to go through due
processes of registration.”
He said the one-month exercise would also be a way of throwing more light on other things that the GTA does.
“Per the laws, every tourism establishment must collect the one
percent tourism levy from patrons and that is what goes into the tourism
development fund, which is used for infrastructural development,
marketing of Ghana as a preferred destination, capacity building and
investments.”
Mr Agyemang said the task force would be collaborating with the
regional managers as well as the regional teams in all the 11 regions
under the agency.
He said the facilities to be closed down include hotels, guest
houses, service apartments, hostels, home lodges, restaurants, fast
food joints, traditional catering establishments, chop bars, drinking
spots, travelling agencies, movie houses, event and entertainment
centres, pubs, night clubs, tour operators, car rental companies among
others.
“We would be given operators the opportunity once we go there to do
the right thing and reopen because we are also mindful of the
inconveniences to patrons of the establishments.”
The team would be in Accra from June 3 to June 7, in Tema from June
10 to June 11, in the Central Region from June 12 to June 14, in Western
Region from June 14 to June 17, in Ashanti Region from June 18 to June
21, in Brong Ahafo Region from June 22 to June 25, in the Eastern Region
from June 26 to June 28, in the Volta Region from June 29 to July 8,
then proceed to the regions of the north.
The team is being led by Mr Michael Kpingbi, Manager Operations, GTA.
