Takoradi-Ghana, Aug. 25, GNA – The sixth edition of the Ghana Hotels Association (GHA) awards to recognize its members who have distinguished themselves in the delivery of quality hospitality services to clients has been launched, in Takoradi.
The Awards, which would be held on January 27, 2024, at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, is on the theme: “Sustaining the hotel industry in Ghana post COVID-19.”
Dr Edward Ackah-Nyamike, President of the GHA, speaking at the launch said a total of 58 made up of 48 departmentalized, six general and four special awards would be given to deserving winners.
Under the departmentalized, awards would be given to each of the hotel grades including, the budget, one star, two-star, three-star, four-star and five-star hotels under various categories.
These are Conference and Banqueting Hotel of the Year, Hotel Restaurant of the Year, Most Secured Hotel of the Year, Most Customer-Oriented Hotel of the Year, Housekeeping Team of the Year and Green Hotel of the Year.
He said for the general category, awards would be given to the Budget Hotel of the Year, One Star Hotel of the Year, Two Star Hotel of the Year, Three Star Hotel of the Year, Four Star Hotel of the Year and Five Star Hotel of the Year.
Hotelier of the Year, GHA Regional Branch of the Year, Award for Significant Contribution and Lifetime Achievement Award are those that fall under the special awards category, he indicated.
Dr Ackah-Nyamike indicated that online application would be opened to members for nomination from September 15 to October 31, after which further assessment of top three nominees by the Awards selection Committee would follow from November 16 to December 31.
He said the awards were meant to acknowledge, celebrate and reward distinguished hotels who delivered exceptional services to their clients during the 2022/2023 year under review.
The GHA President said the theme for the awards was premised on the continuous discussions around the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses, including the hotel and hospitality industry and how to devise strategies to sustain their operations.
He noted that the COVID-19 had significant socio-economic effects on their businesses, where some hotels collapsed, while the majority of employees lost their livelihoods.
That, he indicated, called for the need for all stakeholders in the hospitality industry to brainstorm and come up with the necessary intervention that would help to revive and sustain their operations.
Dr Ackah-Nyamike, however, commended the government through the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) for instituting programmes that were meant to build the resilience of the hospitality industry like the Domestic Tourism Promotion programme.
Mr Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, Western Regional Minister, said the GHA’s quest to be sustainable post COVID-19 required that the Association must be strategic in its line of mission, vision and behaviours to help drive the transformation it aspires to achieve.
He gave the assurance that the government would continue to put in place efficient measures to support their businesses, since the hospitality industry played pivotal roles to the socio-economic development of the country.
