Accra, Aug. 28, GNA - Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Minister of Tourism and Diasporan Relations on Tuesday said that the African Cup of Nations (CAN 2008) soccer fiesta to be hosted by Ghana would serve as a major tourism event.

He therefore called on tourism practitioners to use the opportunity to promote Ghana as a destination of choice to visitors who would patronize the event.

The minister also entreated on especially hoteliers to be well prepared to meet the demands of the visitors to make available enough decent rooms and the promotion of other tourism products. Mr Asamoah Boateng said these when addressed hoteliers in Accra to discuss major issues concerning in the industry at to look at the way forward for the industry especially for the hotel industry. "In between games, there should be tourism products available for the tourists to explore. It would not be just football but where they would sleep, what they would eat and where to go" The Minister said. Mr Asamoah Boateng said that he would arrange a meeting between the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the CAN 2008 programme and other stakeholders in the tourism industry to discuss how best to make a lasting impression on the expected visitors.

He expressed concern about the number of hotel rooms at the venue cities noting that during peak times, the hotels have not been able to meet the demands of visitors.

Mr Asamoah Boateng said there was the urgent need for hoteliers to upgrade their facilities to meet international standards and increase the number of rooms to ensure that visitors to the country leave with good memories that would make them wish t more visits. The Minister also pointed out that the industry was lagging behind in the areas of marketing of tourism products and called on the members of the industry to introduce innovative marketing programmes to attract more tourists into the country.

Mr Kofi Osei Ameyaw, Deputy Minister of Tourism and Diasporan Relations, said it was governments duty to ensure that there was a win-win situation between the private sector and government. Mr Martin Mireku, Acting Executive Director of the Ghana Tourists Board, emphasized the need for harmonized standards in the hospitality industry in Ghana and elsewhere in the world.

Commenting on what he called areas that needed improvement, Mr Mireku said frontage staff needed to be trained to welcome guests with famous Ghanaian hospitality. He urged them to promote the use of local drinks like cocoa-based beverages and to include rooms for the physically challenged in the hotels.

The acting Executive Director however commended market hoteliers (three-five star hotels) for keeping high standards in terms of their interior d=E9cor.

The hoteliers urged the Ministry to help remove bottlenecks that hindered their smooth operations.

They pointed out that even though there was a law, which allowed tax exemption on imports of goods for the tourism sector, the law was not effective and operators go through difficulties when they import materials meant to enhance their operations. The hoteliers' pledged their support to the Ministry to enable them work in harmony and boost private- public partnership. 28 Aug. 07