President Akufo-Addo, has disclosed his administration will build a tourism and hospitality training school in Accra, to provide customer service training to players in the value chain of the sector.
The project valued at ten million US dollars according to the President when completed, will serve the entire West African region for purposes of training professional customer service persons.
President Akufo Addo was speaking at the opening of the Tema branch of Alisa Hotel.
“The hospitality sector is the third largest contributor to the country’s GDP after Cocoa and Oil & Gas. It accounts for two in ten jobs in the country and it is for these reasons that government since 2017 has been implementing a number of initiatives to help transform the sector into a strong tool for economic transformation.
“The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic has rendered the hospitality sector as being the sector most adversely affected evidenced in the 75% decline in international tourism arrivals in 2020 and a 45% reduction in 2021.
“Thankfully, the sector is rebounding after government took dome bold and decisive measures. We’ve saved lives, livelihood and businesses as well as through the global easing of restrictions.
“In spite of the current difficulties confronting our nation, we’ll continue to build a business friendly environment that will enhance entrepreneurship –a vital component of economic growth and development which has been globally embraced as an important driver of economic activity and transformation.
“To this end, we want to use Tourism as an effective tool for economic transformation which would have to create jobs and prosperity for the people. That is why government with the support of international partners is investing heavily in key tourism attractions which would in turn boost tourism revivals this year and beyond.
“In line with this, we plan to build a state-of-the-art tourism and hospitality training school in Accra. The 10-million US dollar facility would serve West Africa and provide customer care training to operators in the tourism and hospitality value chain.
“When customers are happy and delighted, they do not only stay longer in hotels but also spend more and likely to return in future with family and friends.
Building the capacity of tourism players is therefore important in our quest to be the best tourism destination in West Africa,” the president noted.
Source: Onuaonline.com|Ghana
