An awards ceremony has been held to recognise a number of well performing companies and individuals in the travel and tourism industry from various West African countries.
In the hospitality category, the Movenpick Ambassador, Royal Senchi and African Regent hotels were among a list of Ghanaian hotels and resorts awarded at the ceremony, which was held in Accra last Thursday.
Among other winners, the Royal Senchi was adjudged ‘The Number One Resort’ in West Africa.
The event was organised by the African Travel Times Magazine, a leading pro-tourism media organisation that has for years promoted tourism in the sub region through breed events and industry campaigns.
According to the organisers, the companies and personalities were awarded for actively and committedly promoting the local tourism industries in their various countries.
In a statement, CEO of the organising company and member of the African Tourism Board, Mr Lucky Onoriode George, observed that Ghana’s tourism industry had the potential to become one of the best on the continent.
He added that although the industry was moving in the right direction, there remained certain things to be done to transform it.
According to Mr George, Ghana’s political stability had immensely contributed to its tourism industry, however for the country to fully benefit from it, government must adequately invest in the sector.
“Ghana’s tourism sector is doing fairly well owing largely to its political stability however, for the country to benefit meaningfully from the sector, the government must consider decisively investing in it,” he said.
He mentioned a few challenges with Ghana’s tourism industry, touching on the cost of hotel accommodation, which he said, must be looked at as it could affect the flow of tourists into the country.
“Although Ghana has a lot to offer, the cost of hotel accommodation in the country is a major concern to tourists. This must be looked at critically in trying to position Ghana as a competitive tourist destination in Africa,” he opined.
He also stressed the need for proper product segmentation in Ghana’s tourism industry, saying it would help in marketing the sector and moving it forward.
Commenting on the awards, the head of sales and marketing at Royal Senchi Hotel, Mr Emmanuel Mensah expressed gratitude to the organisers, saying the hotel would remain committed to promoting Ghana through its branding and services.
“We feel honoured to receive this award. This year alone, we have received eight awards from both local and international bodies for believing in and standing for the authentic Ghanaian brand,” he said.
He mentioned that in coming the years, Royal Senchi would do more to amplify its promotion of Ghana’s rich culture and tradition.
By Clifford Yaw Frimpong
