African Management Services Company (AMSCO) has observed that the country's hospitality industry lacks quality standards and that capacity development is almost non-existent in many cases. "The industry is in dire need of capacity development, with just under 15 percent of its workforce being trained countrywide." Regional Training Coordinator, AMSCO, Theodora Acquah, made these known to B&FT after the opening of a three-day training programme for 26 senior hotel managers from Ghana and Nigeria. The training programme organised in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ghana Tourist Board, on food security in the hospitality sector, was aimed at developing the capacity and enhancing service delivery in the industry. Mrs. Acquah said: "The training will improve the business performance of hotels and also prepare them to meet the challenge of offering enhanced services during the upcoming World Tourism Day, which will be hosted by Ghana later this year. "This represents a positive contribution by AMSCO to Ghana's efforts at meeting two of the millennium development goals; namely eradicating poverty and developing a global partnership for development" A food safety management system is the cornerstone of food safety. Communication along the food chain is essential to ensure that all relevant food safety hazards are identified and adequately controlled at each step within the food chain, she remarked. " Marieme Travaly, Portfolio Unit Head for West and Central Africa, IFC, indicated that Ghana has recognized the significant contribution the tourism sector can make towards its economic growth. The linkages with the local economy can be strong - ranging from construction materials, local art and handicrafts, textiles, food and beverage supplies, visits to cultural sites and transportation. With the increasing challenges the hotel sector is facing globally and the escalating demand for tourism products and services, especially in the emerging markets, there is urgent need for players in the region to offer high quality performance standards to survive, she observed. Source: B&FT