Hospitality industry gears-up for CAN 2008

Accra, Oct. 20, GNA - Most stakeholders in the hospitality industry have geared-up their activities for the 26th MTN African Cup of Nations scheduled for Ghana from January 20 to February 10, next year.

A visit to some major hotels in Accra by Ghana News Agency monitoring team, revealed frantic preparation by hoteliers to host football fans from across the globe.

Some of the hotels visited were, African Regent Hotel, Shangri-La, La Beach Hotel, Fiesta ROYALE Hotel, The New Coco Beach Resort, Golden Tulip, NOVOTEL, and La Palm Hotel.

Mr Edwin Ousu-Mensah, Acting Deputy Executive Director in Charge of Operations, Ghana Tourist Board said the board in collaboration with management of Cleaning Solutions Limited had initiated a programme to promote healthy hygienic environment within hotels in the country.

The programme is to improve and maintain clean and hygienic standards in the hospitality industry before, during and after the tournament to international standards.

Management of Cleaning Solutions would offer free training for housekeeping, modern scientific trends in hotel washhouse operations, kitchen hygiene, maintenance, hands on product demonstrations and cleaning monitoring.

Mrs Beatrice Archer, Executive Housekeeper of African Regent Hotel said "we are taking advantage of the likely inflow of visitors to package more traditional focus activities for our clients".

She said to achieve their objective was to regularly update and review standards to keep the hotel's operation in line with the national commitment to encourage and promote the rich Ghanaian culture, traditions and art works.

Mrs Archer said management of the hotel had also instituted on the job training of staffs to inject new dynamism in service delivery, which had been a major bane on the Ghanaian hospitality industry as well as to improve quality and standards to meet international specifications and attract more tourists.

"We are getting ready for the event to make Ghana proud and confirm the general perception of the "noble Ghanaian Hospitality".

"We have introduced and improved new standards according to international practices, tailored made in Ghana products such local food and display of cultural artefacts," she stated.

Mr Kofi Ankomah Asamoah, Chief Executive Officer of Cleaning Solutions explained that a team of experts would visit selected premises to assess and arrange special training to improve their standards.

He said standards of cleaning and hygiene were basic determinant factors in quality assurance and reflected an image of a destination or an establishment, hence the promotion.

Managements of hotels visited told Ghana News Agency that they had outlined strict security arrangements to protect guests and other visitors, ward off prostitutes and make clients comfortable in Ghana and provide hospitality of the highest standard with a blend of authentic African tradition, music and culture.