'Ghana will improve record as world’s 10th friendliest country'

Ghana is working extremely hard to improve its enviable record as the world’s 10th friendliest nation, Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts Minister, Mrs. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has said.

According to her, the accolade, awarded the country by the New York Times was one the country must work hard not only to keep but to improve upon.

That, she said, is because such a reputation is critical to the government and the ministry’s agenda to place tourism as a key foreign exchange earner for the country.

Mrs Ofosu-Adjare said this when the management of 5-star luxury car rental service provider, EuroStar Limousine Limited called on her to explore areas of collaboration for the mutual benefit of her ministry, the company and Ghana at large.

Expressing a deep appreciation for the quality of service provided by the EuroStar Limos, the minister said it was proper and fitting, that tourists who want to enjoy the hospitality of Ghana and the friendly nature of its people are treated to royalty with impeccable services.

On account of that she, exhorted the company to take the maintenance of its fleet seriously so that the quality of its services will remain top-notch.

Mrs Ofosu-Adjare said she had heard and read rave reviews about the quality of service of the company and stressed the need to maintain that.

She declared her intention to pay a visit to the company’s facilities to assess the range of vehicles which include - Rolls Royce Phantoms and Ghosts, Mercedes Benz S-Class, Bentleys, Maybachs, BMWs, Cardilac Escalades, Maseratis, and Limousines – for herself.

The Country Director for EuroStar Limos, Mr Walid Zoobi, said the company considered its business as not just a profit-making venture but a service provider whose services impact directly on the perception of the world about Ghana and its people.

He said managers of the company defied the counsel of cynics and pessimists - who said their fortunes were better off elsewhere – and headquartered the company in Ghana.

That decision, he said, was taken having regard to the fact that Ghana stood at the precipice as the destination for global business and there was a yearning need for services that reflect and complement that reputation.

It is for that that EuroStar Limos, he maintained, were distinguishing themselves with such audacity as far as the values guiding their kind of services were concerned.

He said the company was determined to play any role to facilitate government’s efforts to put tourism where it rightfully belongs – a key foreign income earner for Ghana.

The Director of Human Resource Development at the Ministry, Mr. Kwabena Asante-Donkor, said it was about time car rental companies in the country were graded.

That, he believes, will increase competition and compel players in the car rental industry to up their game and consequently provide better services to the consuming public.

Mr. Asante-Donkor praised EuroStar Limos highly for raising the bar in a hitherto tepid car rental industry and expressed the willingness of the Tourism ministry to partner private organization to boost tourism in the country.