In a release issued in Accra, GTA said it would in June 2022 commence a nationwide crackdown on unlawful tourism firms to stop them from operating.
According to GTA, the Tourism Act of 2011 (Act 817) required the authority to register and licence all tourism businesses, including hotels, spas, guest houses, serviced apartments, hostels, home lodges, restaurants, fast food joints, traditional catering establishments (chop bars), drinking bars, travel agencies, movie houses, event centres, entertainment centres, banquet halls, conference facilities, pubs, night clubs, tour companies, and car rentals.
The release noted that tourism enterprises, including apartments that operate Airbnb, without a legal licence by the authority, breach section 25(2) of the Tourism Act, 2011 (Act 817) and hence would also have their businesses shutdown and sanctioned.
It also urged all tourism enterprises to contact any GTA regional office or the head office and pay outstanding tariffs before the beginning of the enforcement exercise.
