Tourism inspectors across the country have begun a training exercise to improve upon their skills for effective service delivery in the hospitality industry.

They are also being trained in inspection and licensing processes, hotel security management, infection prevention and control and fire safety.

Other topics are inspection techniques and report writing, interpretation of architectural drawings of hospitality facilities and incorporation of COVID-19 protocols in service delivery.

The four-day programme which is being organised by the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) started in Accra yesterday for the 65 participants.

Ensuring standards

The Chief Executive Officer of the GTA, Mr. Akwasi Agyeman, said the inspectors would be equipped enough to ensure that tourism establishments and facilities lived up to standards.

He said the training formed part of the country’s COVID-19 alleviation and revitalisation of enterprises support (Ghana CARES) project.

The project includes building the capacity of about 10,000 people in the hospitality industry who will also undergo training for over a period of 18 months.

“This is the beginning of a comprehensive and sector-wide programme. We are not just training our inspectors, but other players within the value chain such as Uber, Bolt and Taxi drivers.

“To be able to enhance effective service delivery in the industry, stakeholders have to be given the requisite skills and training,” he added.

Revitalisation

Mr. Agyeman further mentioned other topics lined up for operators under the project to revitalise the sector to include product knowledge, basic conversational French, digital skills, customer service and sales and marketing skills within the hospitality industry.

“Focus is domestic and regional. And on regional, we know that we are more or less surrounded by francophone countries. To make our francophone brothers and sisters comfortable travelling into the country, we need to take the learning of the French language seriously,” he said.