Ghana to set up Classification Commission

Kumasi, Oct.24, GNA- Ghana is to set up a Classification Commission as a first step towards the implementation of ECOWAS standards for hotels in the West African sub-region, Miss Adelaide Boateng, Quality Assurance Manager of the Ghana Tourist Board (GTB), has said.

She said in addition to receiving applications and rating hotels, the Commission could withdraw the certificate of substandard facilities including those that are notorious of immoral activities.

Miss Boateng was speaking at a day's seminar organised for hotel operators in Ashanti and Brong-Ahafo to introduce them to the new ECOWAS standard in Kumasi.

She said under the ECOWAS harmonised standards, there are basic requirements that both the star-rated and budget facilities would have to meet.

These include providing details of space and lights, bed measurements, freshening public washrooms, pest control and sound proof telephone booths to give privacy.

The star-rated hotels are also required to have a multi-risk insurance cover, a clinic, sick bay and doctor-on-call, professionally done landscaping and bilingual and trained staff.

Miss Boateng said the GTB would help hotel operators to train in first aid and fire fighting techniques.

Mr Edward Owusu-Mensah, Operations Manager of the GTB, said the ECOWAS harmonised standards, which will become operational in 2005, would help promote the sub-region as a major tourism destination.

Mr Foster Nyarko, President of the Ghana Tourism Federation, was not happy about the unreasonably high fees charged by hotel operators in the country, adding that it had made Ghana one of the most expensive tourism destinations in the world.

This, he said, was a disincentive and a serious drawback on the drive to increase tourism in the country.

Mr Nyarko cited five-star hotels in Senegal and those in Ghana and said while those in Senegal charge 60 dollars including breakfast while those in Ghana take between 80 and 120 dollars.

He told hotel operators to see tourism as a long term investment and do away with the mentality of wanting to recoup "everything put in there in just a matter of days". 24 Oct 03