Finance hotels to boost tourism, says hotelier

Takoradi, March 16, GNA - Mrs Francisca Addison, the Western Regional President of the Ghana Hotels Association (GHA), said the government should financially assist hotels to boost tourism.

She said without financial and logistical support, it would be difficult for many hotels to meet ECOWAS demands by December 2006. Mrs Addison said these at the induction of new executives of the association at Takoradi on Wednesday.

She said training of staff; regular rehabilitation and improved service delivery were some of the demands under the ECOWAS standards. Mrs Addison said the association would soon purchase its own bus and land for the building of its office complex.

Mr Seth Asare, the National Secretary of the GHA, said the Western Regional branch had contributed in strengthening some regional branches. ''Managers and hotel owners must adopt new strategies that would enhance the image of the business, attract more customers and assist in increasing tourism patronage.''

Nana Y. Ofori-Kuragu, the Member of Parliament for the Bosome-Freho, said the GHA had secured funding from the Ghana AIDS Commission and would soon embark on education programmes for all hotel workers.

He said condom distribution would be incorporated in the programme as a means of reducing the spread of the HIV/AIDS and the infection rate.