Acting Chief Executive of the Ghana Tourist Authority (GTA), Mr Charles Osei Bonsu, commended players in the hotel industry for complying with the Bank of Ghana (BoG) directives to transact business in Ghana currency instead of other currencies.
The directive by the Bank of Ghana was to check the depreciation of the cedi and the dollarization of the economy in the country. Mr Bonsu said this during a tour of some selected hotels in East Legon, Tesano and Dzorwulu in Accra, to check whether the hotels are adhering to the BoG directives.
He said the tour was also to check if the companies have been collecting the Tourism Development Fund of 1 per cent on accommodation, restaurant and conferences.
Mr Bonsu explained that the Fund was expected to provide the resources for the authority to market and promote the activities and services of players in the tourism industry in Ghana.
“It will also facilitate capacity building for players in the industry and also embark on market research, development of tourism infrastructure and tourism education and training” he added.
“It will also facilitate capacity building for players in the industry and also embark on market research, development of tourism infrastructure and tourism education and training” he added.
Mr Bonsu said the GTA would sustain the exercise and extend it to other regions and urged the companies to continue complying with the directives to help address the economic issues confronting the country.
Nana Tuffour Antwi, General Manager of Royal Richester Hotel, said management has embraced the directives and was now charging in the Ghana currency as well as displaying their rates in Cedis.
He said a major problem they face was when guests come in late in the night and they have only dollars on them, and may not be able to get the services of the forex bureaus.
