Ekow Sampson, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer in charge of operations at the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), has advised the public to desist from patronising tourism facilities that are not registered. 

At a press briefing on Monday, October 16, 2023 at the head office of the Ghana Tourism Authority in Accra, Ekow said the GTA would be embarking on a nationwide enforcement exercise to clamp down on illegal tourism enterprises. 

"So far about thousand units are affected and we have their contact numbers. So this team is starting the Tema and Greater Accra exercise.

We will make sure that units that do not have the operational licences of the Ghana Tourism Authority are prosecuted. We cannot take the laws into our hands so we will be working with the Ghana Police Service across the country and we also entreat all the citizens that are patronising these illegal units to desist from it because when we come and you are occupying these units, the laws enjoins us to remove you and the close it," he said.

He further stated that the public should always ensure that the facilities they patronise are duly licenced.

"If you patronise illegal unit, hostels or restaurants, apart from the disservice that you are doing to the nation, because such units don't pay taxes, they render bad services to the public so you patronise a bad hotel which is not regulated, you don't have the opportunity to go and see these units, so it does not augur well for the industry," Ekow indicated.

The Ghana Tourism Authority is mandated by law under the Tourism Act 2011 (Act 817) to register and license all tourism enterprises, These include hotels, spas, guest houses, serviced apartments, hostels, home lodges, restaurants, fast food joints, traditional catering establishments (chop bars), drinking bars, travel agencies, entertainment centres, banquet halls, conference facilities, pubs, night clubs, tour companies, car rentals, among others.

The directive further says All Tourism Enterprises including apartments operating AirBnB without a valid license from GTA, contravene Section 25 (2) of the Tourism Act 817 (2011).

All licensed Tourism Enterprises are also advised to pay up all outstanding levies before the commencement of the enforcement exercise.

In the meantime, a team will be going round tourism facilities in Accra and Tema from Tuesday, October 17, 2023, for the exercise.

According to Ekow Koomson, this move is being replicated in the Ashanti Region, Eastern Region, Western and other places across the country.