Labadi Beach Hotel adjudged best 5-star hotel.

Labadi Beach Hotel adjudged best 5-star hotelThe Labadi Beach Hotel for the third time running has been adjudged the 5-star hotel of the year at the 11th National Tourism Awards held in Accra.

The Hotel also won an award for consistent payment of the tourism levy in the accommodation category.

The other recipients of the awards included the Royal Senchi Resort, four-star hotel of the year; White Sand Beach Resort and SPA, three-star hotel of the year; Airport View Hotel, two-star hotel of the year; and Aqua Safari Hotel, one-star hotel of the year.

This year’s event, on the theme: “Rewarding excellence through healthy competition” gave out various competitive and honorary awards to individuals and organisations, who have made immense contributions to the growth of the tourism industry.

Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, said the theme was apt and appropriate, as competition was necessary to stimulate development and promote excellence in the tourism sector.

She commended the Ghana Tourism Authority for sustaining the Awards which provided a unique platform to recognize tourism sector players for their meritorious contribution to the promotion and growth of the tourism sector.

She said in the face of stiff competition with other destinations in Africa and the world at large, it was imperative that stakeholders do things right to attract the needed tourists to the country in order to rake in the substantial foreign exchange.

The Minister said the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts with technical support from the United Nations World Tourism Organization has developed a comprehensive 15-year Tourism Plan aimed at firmly positioning tourism as a major pillar of Ghana’s economy.

She said in fulfilment of the President’s pledge to the Creative Arts Practitioners and Cultural Forum, an amount of one million Ghana Cedis has been released from the Tourism Development Fund to support Culture and Creative Arts activities.

She said the Ministry with the support of the Japanese Government has constructed a state-of-the-art Accra visitor Information Centre to provide tourism information and related services to tourists and the public.

The facilities at the Centre includes offices, conference room, performance area, café, business centre with opportunities for ATM serving point to be operated by a bank, sports hall of fame and a library.

She said as part of the Ministry’s mandate to promote Ghana as a preferred tourist destination, the Ministry in collaboration with the Ghana Tourism Authority participated in major international fairs and exhibitions.

She said plans are far advanced towards the establishment of the Hotel Catering and Tourism Training School.

She urged stakeholders in the tourism industry to continue to work hard to make Ghana’s tourism work and make Ghana a preferred destination.

Other awardees in the honorary category included Chinese Embassy in Ghana, Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly, Upper East Regional Co-ordinating Council and Papaye fast food.

The rest are Mr Emmanuel Adjei, Modern City Hotels; Mrs Felicia Danquah, Director, Jofel Catering Service;, Mr Patrick Fares, Holiday INN, Best Western and Plus Atlantic Hotels, SSNIT and Mr Kwame Ofosu Bamfo, Chairman of Alisa Hotels.

The other competitive awards winners are

1. Guest House of the Year…… OAK guest house,

2. Budget Hotel of the Year…. Almond tree guest house

3. Hostel of the Year…….Akyereba hotel

4. Travel Agency of the Year…..Travel Bureau

5. Tour operator of the Year….. Land tours Ghana Limited

6. Traditional Catering of the year….. Always Always

7. Site Guide of the Year…… Mr Justice Brobbey, Manhyia Palace Museum, Kumasi

8. Tour Guide of the Year…. Mr Aziz Pelpuo

9. Tourism Oriented Media (Print)………Ghanaian Times Newspaper

10. Tourism Oriented Media (Television)……..TV3

11. Tourism Correspondent of the Year……Mr Kofi Sakyiama Pobi, GBC Radio Central Region

12. Restaurant of the Year (International)…Daisu Hospitalit (Santoku),

13. Restaurant of the Year (Indigenous)…… Azmera Restaurant,

14. Drinking Bar of the Year………Paradise Drinking Spot

15. Visitor Attraction of the Year……Manhyia Palace, Kumasi

16. Car Rental Agency of the Year…………Yoks Investments Limited

17. Nite club of the Year……Hot gossip night club, Accra

18. Consistent payment off Tourism Levy (Restaurant Category) – Jofel Catering Services

19. Exemplary award for sustainable eco- tourism……Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary, Upper West Region

20. International Support for Tourism Training…. Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, Greater Accra

21. District Assembly Support for Tourism Development…. Afadjato South District Assembly

Source: GNA.