The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) in the Central Region has temporarily closed four hospitality establishments in Cape Coast and Elmina for violating various tourism regulations.
The affected facilities are Elmina Beach Resort in Elmina, Savoy Hotel, Veke Executive Lodge and Wiz Homes, an Airbnb facility, all in Cape Coast.
The closures form part of an enforcement exercise being undertaken by the GTA ahead of the Oguaa Fetu Afahye celebrations in September.
The Regional Director of Tourism, Mr Charles Buabin, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that some of the facilities were operating without valid licences, while others had defaulted in the payment of the tourism levy or failed to meet the required standards.
He said some facilities had also been sanctioned over poor service delivery and other breaches of the regulations governing hospitality establishments.
According to him, the Authority had also issued caution notices to some unlicensed facilities that were not yet operational but were suspected of preparing to accommodate visitors during the Fetu Afahye festivities.
Mr Buabin said the affected establishments had previously been cautioned several times but failed to comply with the directives of the Authority, leading to their closure.
He stressed that all accommodation facilities, including those operating as Airbnb properties, were required to register with the GTA and obtain the appropriate licence before commencing operations.
“In the laws of Ghana, Airbnb is not stated as a facility. All accommodation enterprises are supposed to be registered and licensed before they can operate,” he said.
Mr Buabin said the affected establishments would have to correct the identified deficiencies and pay the applicable regulatory fines before they could be allowed to resume operations.
He advised the public to verify the licensing status of accommodation and other hospitality facilities before using their services.
He said the GTA would sustain the enforcement exercise across the region, particularly during the festive season, to ensure compliance with tourism regulations and protect visitors.
He urged operators of hospitality facilities to comply with the regulations to avoid sanctions and help maintain acceptable standards within the industry.
