The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) acting in line with its constitutional mandate, has announced plans to conduct an extensive enforcement exercise to close down tourism establishments operating illegally in the Ashanti Region.

A task force has already been formed to carry out the exercise scheduled for June 18-21, this year.

Mr. Peter Achampong, Regional Manager of the Authority, confirming this to the Ghana News agency (GNA), Kumasi, said the programme is part of a 29-day nationwide exercise to bring sanity to the tourism sector.

He hinted that the task force would inspect tourism establishments not collecting the one per cent mandatory tourism levy and also collect penalties (administrative charges) from the offending establishments.

“It would carry out any action deemed appropriate within the confines of the Tourism Act (Act, 817) for accelerated growth of the tourism industry,” he stated.

Mr. Achampong said the exercise, being coordinated by the Office of the GTA Chief Executive Officer, aimed at maximizing revenue mobilization of the Authority.