The Covid-19 pandemic is still affecting the hospitality industry in the country especially those operating in rural areas. 

The already dire situation is being worsened by the high utility bills these hotels are made to pay.

An engineer with Best Care Hotel located in Battor in the North Tongu District, Patrick Kobla Nusetor has called on government to subsidise utility bills for the hospitality industry.

He specifically called on government to aid them to acquire solar panels to help them cut electricity costs.

Mr Nusetor who was speaking with Joy Business at the Best Care Hotel noted that it is important that government comes through and takes a critical step to make sure that there are interventions that would help the hospitality industry stay in business.

According to him, government can also place such facilities on the domestic consumption of electricity other than the industrial. 

“We are paying on industrial charges and I pay ten times what the domestic consumers pay but in this critical time, it’s necessary government considers this to cushion us,” Mr Patrick Nusetor said.

He called on government to reduce taxes and levies as a stimulus package to ensure the sustainability of the hospitality industry in these hard times.

“Government needs to put in place some sort of intervention to cushion and stimulate us, other than that, we may have to lay off some of our workers or probably be out of business completely,” he said. 

The Human Resource Officer of Best Care Hotel, Gala Jacob Kwadzo Bravo speaking to Joy Business noted that aside from other interventions, the government should also take a critical look at the deplorable state of the roads in North Tongu especially the District Capital, Battor where the Best Care Hotel, as well as the District Assembly, is situated.

According to Gala Jacob Kwadzo Bravo, the nature of the road is very bad making it difficult for visitors to access the area.

He noted that, though the Best Care Hotel is situated at a strategic point where visitors can easily locate, the bad nature of the roads discourages some of them making the Best Care Hotel lose customers. 

He pleaded with the government to urgently look at the issue of roads in the district which he believes can open the district to more economic activities.

He said at the Best Care Hotel, the facilities are luxuriously situated in a serene environment at very moderate rates as compared to other luxurious hotels which have high rates. 

"The Best Care Hotel is situated in a very serene area with luxurious facilities at a very moderate rate even as low as 150 cedis," he said.

The Manager of the Best Care Hotel,  Robert Dey said despite challenges with the road and its related issues,  the Hotel is rated as the best in the district with regards to good food and drinks at very affordable prices. 

Mr Robert Dey also noted that with the luxurious facilities at the Best Care Hotel, organizations and government institutions can use the hotel for their programmes and activities.

DCE for North Tongu District, Osborne Divine Fenu reiterated government's commitment to making sure that facilities like the Best Care Hotel is given maximum support to stay in business.

In regards to the roads, Mr Osborne Divine Fenu noted that plans are underway to ensure that the District has good roads.