Hospitality players urged to improve service delivery
Professor Agyemang Badu Akosa, the former Director of the Ghana Health Service, has advised practitioners in the hospitality industry to make quality service their hallmark.
Speaking at the Greater Accra Regional Tourism awards held at the Kempinski Hotel on Thursday, Prof Badu Akosa said non-adherence to professional ethics and standards, resulting in poor service delivery had been the bane of most tourist facility operators and owners.
He, therefore, asked for a change in attitude and the need for companies to re-look their strategies in customer service to improve Ghana’s corporate image to be able to woo more investors.
This year’s event, on the theme: “Advancing The Gains of Tourism Through Quality Service Delivery,”, gave out 25 competitive and honorary awards to individuals and organisations who have made immense contributions to the growth of the tourism industry.
The selection of the awardees was based on a set of criteria, including innovation and creativity, appreciable degree of customer service and quality of staff, general appeal of the facilitates, sustainability of the business and adherence to industry rules and regulations.
Accra City Hotel was adjudged the four-star hotel of the year.
The other recipients of the awards included: Holiday Inn, three-star hotel of the year, Airport View Hotel, two-star hotel of the year and Amir Hotel, one-star hotel of the year.
Mrs Gifty Kwansa, Regional Manager, Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), said the Tourism Awards programme was instituted 12 years ago with the objectives of rewarding excellence in tourism service delivery; generating healthy competition among industry service providers for efficiency, and promoting the region and ultimately Ghana as destination of choice.
She said Tourism had the potential to accelerate the country’s development and become the leading foreign exchange earner if well managed.
“Tourism is the fourth exchange earner after gold, cocoa and foreign remittances and remains one of the vibrant sectors of the national economy creating jobs and generating incomes as well as providing hospitality services to visitors on various pursuits in the country.
“Quality service delivery makes the customer happy and satisfied, ensures value for money spent and generates repeat visits and loyal clients. This is what Destination Ghana needs to advance its tourism’’, she added.
Mr Gideon Aryeequaye, Executive Director of the GTA said the Authority had fashioned out a nationwide tourism and hospitality training programme to boost the competency of industry players for efficient service delivery.
He urged industry players and stakeholders to take advantage of the training to upgrade their expertise and improve on their delivery.
The honorary awardees are; Mrs Frances Ademola, Successful Operation of the Art Gallery, The Loom, Paa John Dadson (Regular Publication of “Where To Go “What To See” in the Weekend Paper, The Mirror, under the caption, ‘BentsifiTattle, A Guy About Town’ and Apstar Tours- breakthrough in the Chinese market.
Other competitive awardees are: Fast food of the year- Papaye Eurostar Global Limousine, Car Rental Company of the year, Tour Operator of the year- Sunseekers Tours, Tourist Club of the year-Tourism Society of Ghana, Night club of the year-Hot gossip night club and the Budget Hotel of the year, Patrons Hotel.
Others were: Travel Writer- Kofi Akpabli, Tourism Oriented Media (Television)- Obonu TV, Brand Visibilty- KFC, Hostel of the year- Perry’s Hotel, Travel Agency- Satguru Travel and Tours, Vsitor Attraction-Nubuke Foundation.
Traditional Caterer-Bush Canteen, Movie House of the year- Fife Star Movie House, Drinking Bar of the year- Treasures Pub, Restaurant of the year- Bistro 22 and Restaurant Indigenous of the year- Buka Restaurant Ltd.
Source: GNA