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The Ashanti Region’s Ghana tourist Authority (GTA) has formally started a month-long enforcement campaign to crack down on illicit tourist businesses that aren’t properly licensed. At a press conference today at the Miklin Hotel in Danyame, Kumasi, this statement was made. Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Frederick Adjei-Rudolph, the Authority’s Ashanti Regional Director, stressed that the operation is based on the Tourism Act 817 of 2011’s requirements, which require the Authority to register and license all tourism businesses nationwide.
Mr. Adjei-Rudolph emphasized that permits from other organisations cannot take the place of licences provided by the Ghana tourist Authority, adding that “no tourism enterprise is permitted by law to operate without a valid operational licence issued by the Ghana Tourism Authority.”
More than 200 facilities in the area will be targeted by the enforcement squad, which consists of Authority inspectors, Ghana Police Service officers, and media representatives.
Affected businesses include lodging establishments, travel agencies, food and beverage companies, entertainment venues, and those that have not paid their share of the Tourism Levy.
The GTA’s mission will be centred on: facilities that are not under the Authority’s regulatory control and are neither registered or licensed. legal entities that have not complied with the law’s requirements to obtain or display their operating licenses. companies that fell short of quality standards and whose licenses were not renewed.
Those who are in default on the Tourism Levy and have not made required payments for three months to year. Despite several interactions, Mr. Adjei-Rudolph bemoaned the fact that certain operators have flagrantly refused to regularise their business; some have even threatened inspectors.
The impacted establishments will be closed right away, closure signs will be displayed, and keys will be seized if needed. To guarantee that these facilities stay closed until compliance is attained, the Ghana Police Service will keep an eye on them. We will ask guests who are currently staying at these locations to move.
Make a Support Call By educating their members about the significance of regulatory compliance, the Ghana Hotels Association, Hostels Association, Car Rental Association, Tour Operators, and Traditional Caterers Association, among other stakeholders, were urged by the Regional Director to support the program. He urged the media to contribute to advocacy and public education as well.
“The goal of this exercise is to shield consumers and law-abiding companies from the detrimental effects of unlawful operators, not to punish them,” he stated. “Our success as a group depends on a controlled and secure tourism environment.” Gazing Ahead Mr. Adjei-Rudolph emphasized that the exercise is required to sanitize the industry and guarantee sustainability, safety, and fairness, even if he acknowledged the challenges of closing enterprises. “We will remain firm and resolute for those who refuse, but we are committed to helping any facility that is willing to regularize its operations.”
With all hands on deck, the Ghana Tourism Authority says it is committed to developing a prosperous and well-regulated tourism industry in the Ashanti Region.
