Jake laments over poor standards in hospitality industry

Tourism Minister, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, has attacked the poor standard of Ghana?s hospitality industry, describing parts as ?deplorable?. ?Standards have fallen over the years?, the Minister told an audience of hoteliers in Accra, last week.

He voiced concern about the service in restaurants and the quality of bed sheets, towels and soaps in hotels.

Without improvements, Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey feared that tourism was bound to suffer; ?our infant industry will be stillborn?.

The Ministry of Tourism was keen to encourage Ghana to emulate the tourist-based economy of Morocco. The North African nation already boasts of 4 million visitors each year and was aiming to attract up to 10 million in the near future.

Morocco has sixteen hospitality training institutions. The highest qualification from these colleges is awarded after eight years of study, a year longer than the tertiary training for a doctor.

Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey believed, that with such a difference in levels of training, it was no surprise that Ghana?s tourist industry lagged behind.

Training would be provided for 200,000 hospitality professionals in the next four years. At present, less than 20% of those working in the industry have had any formal training. A minimum percentage of trained staff will soon be required to gain a hospitality license.

Tourism is currently increasing in Ghana at a rate of 10% per annum. It is hoped that the rate will double, producing a million visitors by 2007. Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey was confident of reaching these targets ?if we can put professionalism behind the proverbial Ghanaian hospitality?.

By 2006, hotels in Ghana would be subject to a standardized system of classification, shared throughout the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS).

In order to police these new classifications, teachers would be trained to become hotel inspectors during school holidays. Substandard hotels would no longer be able to trade, undisturbed, between annual inspections.

The result of these tougher regulations and expanded inspection strategy would be a reduction of smaller hotels. Unable to afford the improvements required to meet the new standards, they would be forced to close down.

The Minister denied that enforced closure of small hotels was part of his plan. He made it clear, however, that he felt a move towards larger hotels would be economically beneficial.

It is time to ?get away from the Ghanaian practice of sole proprietors opening small establishments named after their late mothers.?

Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey saw the future of Ghanaian tourism in terms of charted flights and large, respectable, hotels.

Fearful of the reputation of tourism in Thailand, he also stressed the need to clean up the image of Ghanaian hotels. He implored hoteliers not to condone prostitution, particularly involving children, adding that Ghana did not wish to become a center for sex tourists.

It is obvious that this government has made a significant commitment to increase earnings from tourism.

The minister proudly emphasized the new supremacy given to tourism over agriculture and other areas.

Succeeding in this battle to secure priority of funding is vital, when, as Mr. Obetsebi-Lamptey joked; ?Getting blood from a stone is easier than getting money from the government.?