Tourism Fund is a growth pool – Administrator

Mr Abraham Tetteh, the Tourism Fund Administrator, Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), has said the tourism fund would help develop the sector and contribute to the country’s attainment of international standards.

The Fund, instituted by the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, charges one per cent levy on the cost payable by a patron of a tourism enterprise.

Mr Tetteh was speaking during a tourism levy sensitization workshop for stakeholders organized by the Ghana Tourism Authority to enlighten members on the implementation of the tourism levy.

He said the workshop was a follow up on the registration and certification for managers of hostels, pubs and night clubs on the collection of the tourism levy.

He said before these categories of members could be rolled on to the levy, they need to know about the levy regime and its implementation.

On the collection of the levy, Mr Tetteh said it commenced on a slow note, but with awareness, members have now understood and were paying regularly.

“Most of the establishments are not keeping proper book accounts, which is a challenge to the Fund,” he said.

The Fund Administrator said soon, the management of the Fund would start enforcing the laws to bring to book operators who refused to contribute to the Fund.

He said management was expanding the scope of the collection methods to involve other players in the tourism industry.

He, therefore, called on patrons to support in the collection of the levy to attain the needed development in the sector.