Accra, May 15, GNA - Mrs Zita Okaikoi, Minister for Tourism on Friday cut the sod for the construction of a five star hotel in Accra to be known as Accra Kempinski Hotel.
The 270 rooms' hotel expected to be opened in January 2012, has two presidential suites, a 1,000 capacity banquet facility and state of the art meeting rooms.
Other facilities would include 3,000 SM Resense Spa, salon, health club, swimming pools and tennis courts, three specialty restaurant and underground parking lot of 400 cars capacity.
The Kempinski Group, Hoteliers since 1912, is Europe's oldest hotel operators and is synonymous with five star plus properties around the world.
Mrs Okaikoi said the construction of the hotel would help to fill a major gap in the hotel industry in Ghana and turn Accra into a leading metropolis in both Africa and the world. She noted that the Ambassador Hotel currently under construction in Accra, was an indication of the positive response from the private sector= to make Ghana the preferred vacation and business destination in Africa. "It is the opportune time for the tourism sector to experience tremendous growth.," she said. Mrs Okaikoi said the geographical location of Ghana made her readily=
accessible and attractive to major investors the world round, adding that=
the proverbial Ghanaian hospitality would make visitors feel welcomed. The Tourism Minister said the political stability the country has enjoyed over twenty years, had provided security and safety for people to=
visit and establish business in Ghana. She reiterated that the good image that the country has chalked in t= he international circles and the growing fame of the gallant Ghanaian footballers in FIFA World Cups and European clubs were testimonies of Gha= na's global fame in sports and tourism.
"The Ministry is poised to support private initiatives to boost tourism and to make the sector play its expected role in the transformati= on of the economy particularly in foreign income generation, employment creation and poverty reduction," she said. Mr Marwan Zakhen, the Managing Director of Zakhen Construction, sai= d the hotel project was in its first phase and described it as an ambitious=
project that aims to provide 300,000 SM of mixed used development. Mr Zakhen said government aimed to ensure that high quality hotels were provided in the country.