The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) on Wednesday shut down several sub-standard and illegal tourism facilities, including hotels and restaurants, for operating illegally across the Central Region.

The facilities are Hotel Central near Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, VEKE Executive Lodge at Akyim, Chicken Pizza branches, opposite Becky Kay and near the University of Cape Coast’s Ayensu Road in the Cape Coast Metropolis.

Others are, Fredumens Hotel at Moree Junction in the Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese District and 4:30 Guest House at Saltpond in the Mfantseman Municipality.

These closures occurred as part of a nationwide inspection and enforcement exercise by the GTA taskforce, aimed at ensuring compliance with its regulations.

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Some managers of the affected facilities in separate interviews with the Ghana News Agency expressed frustration over what they described as complicated procedures involved in registering tourism enterprises in Ghana.

While rallying GTA’s support, some lamented the long registration requiring compliance with several agencies, including the Registrar General’s Department, Ghana National Fire Service, Ghana Police Service, Environmental Protection Agency and relevant district assemblies.

But responding to these concerns, Charles Kwaku Buabin, the Regional Director of the GTA, pledged the Authority’s support to speed up the registration processes without any undue delay.

He said the exercise was aimed at instilling sanity and ensuring compliance of the rules, standards and laws that governed the hospitality industry.

“Service delivery and safety of patrons to these tourism facilities cannot be taken for granted, thus the Ghana Tourism Authority with strict adherence to its mandate and responsibility to maintain standards,” he stated.

He, however, expressed concern of how all efforts to have some facility owners complete their operational license registration had been unsuccessful.

Some facilities, he stated, had failed to pay licensing fees and one percent tourism levy for years, adding “They do not have a GTA Operational License to operate.”

“Some have not registered at all, others have started but not completed their registration and some were licensed but have failed to renew it.”

According to him, “the law clearly states that without a license, you cannot operate, regardless of the circumstances. The final stage of this exercise is prosecution and while we hope to avoid that, those who do not comply will face legal action,” he said.

Buabin advised the public to always verify the licensing status of tourism facilities before patronising them: “Always check for a facility’s operational license.

“If it doesn’t have one, it is unsafe to visit as proper hygiene and safety cannot be guaranteed. Also, watch out for closure notices; if you see one, avoid that facility,” he added.

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