The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has temporarily closed four hospitality establishments in the Central Region for violating tourism regulations as authorities intensify efforts to sanitise the sector ahead of the Oguaa Fetu Afahye celebrations in September.
The affected facilities are Elmina Beach Resort in Elmina, as well as Savoy Hotel, Veke Executive Lodge and Wiz Homes, an Airbnb property, all located in Cape Coast.
The establishments were found to have breached various regulatory requirements, including operating without valid licences, failing to pay the tourism levy, providing substandard facilities and offering poor services to customers.
The GTA has also issued caution notices to some unlicensed facilities that were not yet operational but were reportedly preparing to accommodate visitors during the Fetu Afahye festivities.
GTA warns unlicensed facilities
The Regional Director of Tourism, Charles Buabin, said that the affected establishments had previously received several warnings but failed to address the concerns raised by the Authority.
He stressed that all accommodation providers, including properties operating as Airbnb facilities, are required to register with the GTA and obtain the appropriate licence before beginning operations.
According to him, the law does not create a separate regulatory category for Airbnb properties that exempts them from licensing requirements.
“In the laws of Ghana, Airbnb is not stated as a facility. All accommodation enterprises are supposed to be registered and licensed before they can operate,” he said.
Facilities must meet requirements before reopening
Mr Buabin said the closed establishments would only be allowed to resume operations after correcting the identified deficiencies and paying the applicable regulatory fines.
He also urged residents and visitors to verify the licensing status of hotels, lodges and other accommodation facilities before making bookings.
The GTA says the ongoing enforcement exercise will continue across the Central Region, particularly as the festive season approaches.
The Authority says the measures are intended to ensure that hospitality establishments comply with tourism regulations and provide visitors with safe and acceptable standards of service during the Fetu Afahye celebrations.
