Players in the tourism industry should strive for excellence in their operations to ensure value for money to the customer, Mr. Peter Achampong, Ashanti Regional Manager of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), has advised.

He said they should not compromise on customer care, stressing that meeting professional standards in the services they delivered was a critical factor for the growth of the industry in general.

He further entreated them to pay the mandatory one percent tourism levy on regular basis to help improve the financial base of the GTA in order to undertake its activities effectively.

Mr. Achampong was addressing the 12th Ashanti Regional edition of the Tourism Awards’ Ceremony in Kumasi, held on the theme “Promoting Responsible Tourism”. The award winners comprised individuals and organisations contributing in diverse ways to the sustainable growth of tourism in the Region.

Prizes presented to the deserving awardees ranged from certificates of honour to citations.

Ashanti Region boasts of some of the world’s most interesting tourist attraction sites, including the Lake Bosomtwe, a natural wonder attracting thousands of domestic and foreign visitors to the water body annually. Mr Achampong said the Region currently had 596 licensed hotels, 63 catering facilities, 76 travel and tour firms, nine car rental companies and two standard night clubs.

He re-echoed the Authority’s resolve to enforce to the letter all rules regulating the tourism industry for the benefit of the public, and warned that any tourism facility that operated below standards would be closed down.

Mr. Simon Osei-Mensah, the Regional Minister, in a speech read on his behalf, said the government had taken the initiative to build the capacity of key players in the tourism industry to ensure competency in the discharge of their duties.

Baffour Agyei Kesse, Chief of Adum in Kumasi, advised the GTA to partner traditional authorities to develop cultural tourism, saying this was one area which could bring tremendous benefits to the Region in terms of job creation.