Accra, Jan 31, GNA - Mr. Herbert Acquaye, the Greater-Accra Regional Chairman of Ghana Hotels Association (GHA), has appealed to star-rated hotels to join the association and be active in it.

He said this would enable non-rated hotels and guesthouses to benefit from their e xpertise to improve on their standards for Ghana@50 and CAN 2008.

Me Acquaye told the GNA in an interview after the inauguration of a five-member regional executive that it worried the association that out of over 500 hotels that operated in Greater Accra, only 250 were registered as members of GHA.

He said out of this number, just a few were star-rated hotels and even those who were members were inactive.

"Most of the star-rated hotels have, over the years, refused to join the association with the excuse that they are too busy to participate in the activities of the association."

Mr. Acquaye, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Hospitality Resources Limited, operators of The Rest Inn, said with Ghana@50 celebrations at hand and CAN 2008 in view, it was important to improve upon the capacity, standards and quality of service in the hospitality industry and this could be done more efficiently with the support of the star-rated hotels.

"We need their expertise, experiences, ideas and finances to assist the smaller non-rated ones to improve upon their services - this will go a long way to boost the image of the entire industry, tourism and the nation as a whole."

He said with the burden of CAN 2008 and Ghana@50, the few star-rated hotels, which are fully booked, could not accommodate the one million expected tourists between this and next year. "That is why it is important for them to support the smaller hotels to rise to the occasion and contribute their quota to the industry in this crucial moment of the nation's life."

Nana Adjei Kwinin, National President of GHA, said GHA was gearing up to receive the numerous tourists expected during Ghana@50 and CAN 2008.

He said GHA served on the accommodation committees of both Ghana@50 and CAN 2008 to ensure that it prepared to meet the accommodation needs of the times.

Nana Kwinin said the various hotels were improving on their facilities and others were increasing their intake capacities. GNA