The Jury Chaired by Mr Charles Obeng, GTA Greater Accra Regional Manager includes; Nana Baa Wiredu, Managing Director, Tourism Resources Development and Marketing; and Mr Francis Ameyibor, Executive Director, Communications for Development and Advocacy Consult (CDA Consult) and also a Deputy News Editor, Ghana News Agency.

The others are; Mrs Adelaide G. Mensah-Kufuor, Senior Lecturer, Accra Technical University, Hotel Catering Institutional Management, and Mr Shine Dela Gowonu, Senior Tourism Professional, Ghana Tourism Authority.

Mr Obeng charged the Jury to be transparent, free, fair and vigorous in their search for master of the each of the categories, which includes; Accommodation, Catering Services, Travel Services, and the Media.

The Jury is undertaking physical inspection of facilities to examine adherence to quality customer service, workplace safety standards, with focus on security and fittings; positive image-first impressions with emphasis on staff appearance, aesthetic, décor, and its quality.

Other areas include; fulfillment of environmental and sanitation standards with critical examination cleanliness, excellent cuisine focusing on the preparation and the taste of the food, decent facilities, and fulfillment of statutory obligations that is payment of GTA licence and other levies.

The GTA Regional Manager appealed to corporate bodies, stakeholders in the hospitality industry to support the 2019 Regional Awards, stressing “We must set standards through sponsorship of this year’s ceremony”.

Mr Obeng told the GNA that Regional Tourism Awards slated for Friday, February 22 would honour players in the hospitality industry the four-Star Hotels category based on the quality of services, ideal location, accommodation, landscaping, recreational facilities and excellent cuisine.

The GTA Regional Manager said the three-star hotel of the year would be assessed based on its ideal location, excellent facility services, splendour, spectacular views, interesting sporting and fulfilment of all statuary obligations.

Under the catering services category, Mr Obeng said the Restaurant of the year (Grade 1) would be awarded to excellent location, ambiance, landscaping hygienic environment, very high quality of service for fine dining, variety of international and local menu, clarity of billing system, quality of washroom facility, and cleanliness of kitchen and fulfilment of all statutory obligations.

He said Restaurant of the year Grade 2 would be awarded to restaurants with good quality location, ambiance, landscaping; hygienic environment, high quality of service, variety of menu, clarity of billing system, quality of washroom facility, and cleanliness of kitchen and fulfilment of all statutory obligations.

Restaurant of the year (Grade 3 would be awarded to restaurants with satisfactory location, ambiance landscaping, hygienic environment, quality service, limited menu, quality of washroom facility, and cleanliness of kitchen and fulfilment of all statutory obligation.

Traditional Caterer of the Year ‘CHOP BAR’: Excellent location, satisfactory state of care, hygienic environment, customer care and satisfaction, payment of income tax, good storage facilities, provision of washroom facilities, fulfillment of statutory obligation and good storage facilities are the needed requirement

He said Fast food establishment of the Year, must have excellent location, décor, ambiance and landscaping, quality of food and service, variety of cuisine, excellent customer care, and cleanliness of kitchen and fulfillment of all statutory obligations.

Drinking Bar of the Year, Excellent location and décor, wide variety of drinks, professional service delivery from staff, high maintenance and cleaning standards and fulfilment of all statutory obligations.

He said Night Club/Pub of the Year, should be well patronised with good décor, high level of security, professional bar service and good customer orientation of staff.

“Offshore/Airline Catering Establishment of the Year, would be given an establishment that offers offshore/airline catering services in an environment that meets industry standard locally and globally,” he said.

The Consistent Payment of Tourism Levy of the Year- Catering is for establishments that consistently and timeously paid the one percent Tourism Levy collected from clients into the designated Levy accounts at the selected banks and should be selected with consultation with the Tourism Levy Secretariat.

Mr Obeng said under the travel services, Airline of the Year (Tourism Promotion) would be given to any airline that progressively supported the promotion and development of tourism in Ghana.

Tour Operator of the Year: “excellent package” would be for operators offering excellent, consistency in service delivery, committed to marketing and promotion of travel and tourism in Ghana, pre-packaged tour, sight-seeing and guided tours.

He said Travel Agency of the Year is open to all operators that exhibit consistency in service delivery committed to marketing and promotion of travel and tourism in Ghana.

Mr Obeng said Car Rental Services of the Year, would be given to operators delivering vehicle rental services for business, pleasure and exhibiting excellent professionalism timeliness and great customer services.

Tour Guide of the Year, would be awarded to an individual operator with proficiency and knowledge of Ghana’s Tourist Product, excellent appearance outlook, character and behaviour, good communication and interpersonal skills, tour management skills.

Site Guide of the Year is for Proficiency and knowledge of Ghana’s tourist products, excellent outlook, character, behaviour and creativity, dedication to duty, good communication and interpersonal skills.

Visitor Attraction of the Year, Splendid scenery, cultural enrichment, friendliness of the staff, excellent guide services, facilities for dinning, accommodation and good sanitation are the needed requirements. Healthy/Safety disability (physically challenged) volume (visitation volumes).

He said the Tourism Writer of the Year award would be for both journalists and writers who demonstrate an on-going commitment to the development and promotion of tourism in Ghana.

Tourism Oriented Media (Television, Radio, Print, and Online)is for the media house that actively promotes tourism, while the Tourism Programme of the Year would be given to a broadcast organisation that actively promotes tourism.

Honorary awards, he said would recognise outstanding contribution to the Tourism Industry in Ghana.