The Ghana Hotels Association (GHA) has urged Abla Dzifa Gomashie, the Tourism Minister-designate, to prioritise allocating a portion of the 1% tourism levy to support the private sector.
Edward Ackah-Nyamike, president of the GHA, has long advocated for the levy to empower trade associations, which play a pivotal role in industry development.
“While the levy is intended for industry development, it should also help empower trade associations to fulfil their roles effectively, benefiting the broader tourism sector,” he said.
The appeal follows the nomination of Gomashie by President John Dramani Mahama on Thursday (16 January) as minister-designate for the Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts Ministry.
Ackah-Nyamike expressed optimism about Gomashie’s appointment, highlighting the critical need to bolster trade associations.
“A lot of trade associations are very weak and not able to make any impact, but there is so much that they can do when given the necessary support,” he noted.
“If we strengthen the associations, they will also help to bring in more money into the fund.”
The GHA president urged Gomashie to prioritise the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Forum, a key provision in the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) Act 817.
The forum, he explained, is a platform for constant dialogue between the minister and industry players.
“This quarterly forum will give her the opportunity to listen to industry players and understand their challenges and issues,” Ackah-Nyamike stated.
He also emphasised the need for affordable and consolidated taxation for the hospitality industry.
“We expect that she will champion that course to ensure that the taxes do not overbite us; that will make it counterproductive,” he added.
“She will also have to look at reducing utility tariffs, as it will go a long way to deal with our operational costs and bring it down significantly. Because those two utilities have a strong bearing on our operational costs.”
One of the GHA’s long-standing proposals is the establishment of a specialised tourism school.
Ackah-Nyamike underscored the need for this institution to provide in-service training for industry staff and ensure uniform standards across the sector.
“Infrastructure development should also be on her agenda as the country pushes for the introduction of medical or health tourism,” he said.
Ackah-Nyamike highlighted the importance of attracting foreign investments to tap into the untapped potential of Ghana’s tourism sector.
He specifically pointed to opportunities in the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) space.
“If we get those big conferences, we will get a lot of people into the country at a particular time, and that is where we will also benefit from,” he said.
On domestic tourism, he urged the minister-designate to collaborate with the government to decentralise national events, such as Independence Day celebrations, to encourage Ghanaians to explore different parts of the country.
The GHA also called on Gomashie to continue the “Beyond the Return” initiative, launched by the previous administration, which has been instrumental in promoting Ghana as a global tourism destination.
“She also has to keep an eye on the regulatory bodies that regulate the industry,” Ackah-Nyamike said.
The GHA is confident in Gomashie’s ability to steer the ministry. A veteran in the tourism, culture, and creative arts space, she previously served as a deputy minister in the same ministry.
“A lot has been done in the past eight years we must confess and acknowledge, so there is a solid foundation on which she can move us to the next level. Her work is well cut out, and so she can make it,” Ackah-Nyamike concluded.
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