Cape Coast, March 21, GNA - The Central Region Development Commission, (CEDECOM) has initiated a programme to improve the standard of the hospitality industry in the Region.

The programme, which involves the training of hoteliers, taxi drivers and chop-bar keepers is to ensure that the Region maintains its strategic position in the country's tourism industry. Mr John Akowuah, Executive Director of CEDECOM, stated this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Cape Coast. He noted that the hosting of the summit of African Union (AU) in Ghana and the CAN 2008 soccer fiesta enjoined the Regions to improve the services of the hospitality industry.

"The frontline people in the tourism industry such as taxi drivers, hoteliers, bar keepers must improve their services, the Executive Director stated and added that a taxi driver should know where tourist sites and attractions are, how long it takes to get there and how much it costs to enable them to provide ready answers to requests tourists will make".

They should also know the calendar of important festivals in the Region so as to help tourists who visit for such festivals. Mr Akowuah said the improvement of the road network also placed a great challenge on the service providers since unsatisfactory services could sent visitors away to Accra or Takoradi as it was now faster to drive from Cape Coast to Accra than from even Adenta to Accra. He said CEDECOM's initiative was to ensure that the Region did not become "a back yard" in the tourism industry.

"Every effort is being made by the Commission to ensure that the Region maintains its position as the leading tourist destination in the country, Mr Akowuah stated.

He expressed concern about the poor conditions of some forts and castles in the Region and called on the authorities to maintain them. 21 March 07