Hospitality business recording steady growth – Ghana Hotels Association

The Ghana Hotels Association has said that business is gradually picking up across the country as some COVID-19 restrictions are easing in the country.

President of the Association, Dr. Edward Ackah-Nyamike, said the political season also may have contributed to this improvement in business.

He told Citi Business News that,

Feedback from our member hotels across the country points to steady growth occupancy rates and hosting of events and conferences. Some attribute it to the ongoing political campaign while some others attribute it to the easing of COVID-19 restrictions and also to aggressive drive for domestic tourism by various groups and tour operators. We can only pray that the growth we are observing will continue. But we remain hopeful for further increase in patronage as we get closer to the end of the year. We also look forward to a positive response from the Finance Minister on the issues we raised with him at our October meeting with him. Unfortunately, we are yet to hear from him after a couple of follow-ups. Let me use this opportunity to entreat all Ghanaians to protect the peace of the country before during and after the December elections.”

It is estimated that as of June 2020, the sector had incurred losses running into $171 million as a result of the pandemic.

Ghana’s international airspace was opened to travel in September which meant an increase in visits into the country by tourists who are the main customers of tourist sites in the country.

But President Akufo-Addo announced a reopening of the country’s international airspace effect September 1, 2020.

It however came with a mandatory COVID-19 test at $150 dollars for passengers coming into the country.

The management of the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) recently revised the Coronavirus-induced safety protocols for passengers travelling to Ghana amidst the COVID-19 outbreak.

Read also: coronavirus-outbreak Ghana’s hospitality industry feeling the heat

The new safety protocols, which took effect on Monday, November 16, 2020, require passengers arriving in Ghana to pay the $150 for the PCR test online at https://myfrontierhealthcare.com/Home/Ghana.

A statement issued by the KIA to highlight the guidelines stated that passengers must not have symptoms suggestive of COVID-19 including body temperature >38 degrees Celsius.

Also, passengers must possess a COVID-19 negative PCR test from an accredited laboratory in the country of origin and airlines who bring in travellers who have not paid for the test online would be fined $3,500 per passenger.

Source: Citibusinessnews.com