The Ghana Hotels Association (GHA) has renewed calls for a fairer allocation of the Tourism Development Fund as it began activities to mark its 50th anniversary.

At a press briefing held on Tuesday, April 15 2025, President of the Association, Dr Edward Ackah Nyamike Jr., described the current arrangement under the Tourism Act, 2011 (Act 817) as “unfair and outdated.”

He said hotels, which are responsible for collecting the levy, do not receive direct support from the Fund.

“It is not sustainable to expect the hotels to collect the levy, pass it on diligently, and be told there is nothing for them in return,” Dr Ackah Nyamike said.

“We are appealing to the Ministry of Tourism and its agencies to revisit this arrangement and make it more inclusive.”

The Tourism Development Fund is financed through a one per cent levy on services provided by tourism enterprises, with the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) serving as the fund manager. 

The GHA has repeatedly argued that hotels, as the main collectors of the levy, should receive assistance, particularly in areas such as staff training, facility maintenance, and post-COVID recovery.

Dr Ackah Nyamike said access to the Fund remains difficult for hoteliers due to bureaucratic procedures and unclear guidelines. He called for a review of the process to make it more accessible and transparent.

Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Operations at the GTA, Mr Ekow Sampson, acknowledged the Association’s concerns. 

He said the Fund is paid by patrons, not the hotels, but agreed that the role of hoteliers in the collection process must be recognised.

“You have a genuine case, and we’re working on it,” Mr Sampson said. “The Fund is not paid by the hotels—it’s paid by the patrons. That distinction is important, but hotels play a major role in collecting it and deserve to be supported.”

Mr Sampson also spoke about the growth of the sector over the years, citing a 1996 development plan that recorded 580 hospitality establishments nationwide.

“Today, we have over 5,000 hotels across the country. That shows how far we’ve come, and the GHA has played a part in that,” he said.

Chief Executive of the Ghana Tourism Development Company (GTDC), Professor Kobby Mensah, said the sector must rethink its approach to infrastructure by including digital systems. 

He announced that the GTDC is developing a Ghana Tourism Marketplace to address the dominance of foreign online travel agencies.

“For too long, we’ve allowed them to hold on to our money. That’s going to change,” Professor Mensah said. “We are building a home-grown platform. There will be no registration or subscription fees.”

Founded in 1975, the Ghana Hotels Association is a leading advocacy body for hoteliers across the country. Its golden jubilee celebration will include health walks, blood donations, regional tours, stakeholder meetings and a national durbar in December.

Dr Ackah Nyamike said the anniversary presents an opportunity not only to celebrate past achievements, but also to advocate for change in how the sector is supported. 

“As we celebrate our journey, we also want to see a new chapter where hotels are not just seen as collectors, but as partners in the development of tourism,” he said.