The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has temporarily shut down four hospitality establishments in the Central Region for breaching tourism regulations. The affected facilities include Elmina Beach Resort in Elmina, along with Savoy Hotel, Veke Executive Lodge, and Wiz Homes, an Airbnb property, all located in Cape Coast.
According to the GTA, some of the facilities were operating without valid licences, while others had failed to pay the tourism levy or were found to have substandard amenities and poor service delivery. The closures form part of an ongoing enforcement exercise ahead of the Oguaa Fetu Afahye celebrations in September.
The Authority also issued caution notices to certain unlicensed facilities after receiving intelligence that they were preparing to host visitors during the festivities. Central Regional Director of Tourism, Charles Buabin, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the affected establishments had disregarded multiple warnings. He stressed that all accommodation providers, including Airbnb operators, must register with the GTA and secure the appropriate licence before commencing operations.
“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. Charles Buabin said the affected facilities must correct the identified breaches and pay the applicable regulatory fines before they can reopen.
He urged the public to verify the licensing status of hotels, lodges and other accommodation facilities before patronising them. The GTA said the enforcement exercise will continue across the region, particularly during the festive season, to ensure compliance and improve service standards in the hospitality industry.
Source: GNA
