20 new hotels spring up in S'di-Takoradi.

Takoradi, Jan. 11, GNA- Twenty new hotels have applied for registration in preparation towards Ghana 2008 in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis.

Additionally, individuals have registered 20 home lodges and several guest facilities to accommodate the fans. Mr Mike Kpimgbi, Principal Resource Officer of the Ghana Tourist Board (GTB), disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Takoradi on Friday.

He said all the new applicants would be scrutinised to ensure that they conform to standards, adding that already the metropolis has accredited 50 hotels and guesthouses.

Mr Kpimgbi said the home lodges are only being made available for the tournament and would be reverted to homes when the tournament is over. He said presently, there are several hostels at Takoradi New site, and Essipong, that would also cater for some of the accommodation needs of the thousands of football fans.

Mr Kpimgbi said though several new facilities have applied for licenses, but unfortunately, some had not undertaken fire, safety, environmental and security measures and had also not registered with the Registrar General's Department to warrant the licenses the want. He said the licenses are granted depending on the types of facilities available at the hotel and these usually included the number of rooms, car park, swimming pool and other amenities. Mr Kpimgbi stressed that the GTB would ensure that all the facilities meet international standards so that more tourists would visit Ghana after the tournament.

"We will not compromise on standards" adding that chop bar operators and drinking bar owners within the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis and at Elubo would be trained in hygiene and customer service. He said plans were underway to educate commercial and taxi drivers within the metropolis to be courteous to passengers.