The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has bemoaned the numerous charges associated with operating tourist sites in the country.
GTA argues that the high electricity tariff billed hoteliers in the country, coupled with high taxes among others is crippling the tourism industry.
According to the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Akwesi Agyemang, the development, if unchecked, will continue to render such businesses unprofitable.
“Some of the key industry challenges that we are confronted with; human resource capacity is still quite low, competition in the tourism sector has also become very competitive; I mean we are competing with Cote d’lvoire, Burkina Faso, Togo, Nigeria,”
“Coupled with this is the high electricity tariffs for operators especially hoteliers, multiplicity of regulations and fees, taxes, levy. and so we will go to inspect a hotel, the next day Food and Drugs Board will come, the next week EPA will come, the next week it goes on and on and on and sometimes it suffocates the operators” he said.
Mr. Agyemang who was speaking at Citi FM’s Akwaaba Forum however assured that talks has begun with key players such as the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) to ease charges in operating tourist sites in Ghana.
“As an Authority, we are looking for ways to engage the other regulatory bodies to lessen the burden on operators. We have started engaging PURC to see what best solution to come to.”
The Akwaaba Forum formed part of the outdoor events for this year’s Citi Business Festival.
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By: Jessica Ayorkor Aryee/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana.