Business News of Tuesday, 9 December 2003

Source: --

ECOWAS standards of classification of hotels soon

The Ministry of Tourism and Modernisation of the Capital City on Monday announced measures it has taken to enforce the agreement on ECOWAS standards of classification of hotels, guesthouses and inns in the sub-region.

Consequently, the Ministry intended to set up a commission including representatives of establishments that fail to conform to standards to be headed by the sector Minister towards the attainment of the Ministry's objectives.

These were contained in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Ministry Ms. Victoria Antwi Sarpong.

The statement said other measures to be taken by the Ministry were the establishment of a sub-regional monitoring committee to carry out annual inspection of facilities in ECOWAS member states and approval of establishments to fly the ECOWAS flag and display a plaque bearing ECOWAS logo.

According to the statement, the measures had been taken in order to promote the sub-region as a tourism destination, create and maintain a high level of tourism services, coordinate tourism development activities and to guarantee a uniform standard of accommodation in the sub-region.

Prior to the enactment of the ECOWAS classification, hotels in Ghana were governed by the World Trade Organisation standards.