Ghana Hotels Association celebrates excellence at 6th annual awards night

The Ghana Hotels Association (GHA) hosted its sixth annual awards night at the Labadi Beach Hotel, recognizing outstanding hotels and hoteliers in the tourism and hospitality industry. The awards aim to commend member hotels and individuals in good standing who have demonstrated excellence in various aspects of their operations.

Dr. Edward Ackah-Nyamike Jnr., President of the Ghana Hotels Association, emphasized the objective of the awards to enhance hotel service delivery. The theme for the event, “Sustaining the Hotel Industry in Ghana Post-COVID-19,” focused on strategies for ensuring the financial, environmental, social, technological, and political survival of hotels after the pandemic's impact.

Highlighting the influence of digitalization in the hospitality industry, Dr. Ackah-Nyamike mentioned the introduction of digital processes in the selection of awardees. Member hotels were encouraged to self-nominate through an online portal for eight departmentalized awards, including Conference and Banqueting Team of the Year, Front of House Team of the Year, Green Hotel of the Year, and Most Digitalized Hotel of the Year.

While acknowledging the limited response to the online self-nomination approach, Dr. Ackah-Nyamike assured that the integrity and credibility of the GHA Awards were maintained, and awardees were selected based on merit.

Awards were presented across various categories, including Conference and Banqueting Team of the Year, Front of House Team of the Year, Green Hotel of the Year, Hotel Restaurant of the Year, Housekeeping Team of the Year, Most Customer-Oriented Hotel of the Year, Most Digitalized Hotel of the Year, Most Secure Hotel of the Year, and Hotel of the Year.

Notable winners included Labadi Beach Hotel, Coconut Grove Regency Hotel, Tang Palace Hotel, Accra City Hotel, and Best Lodge, among others. Special recognitions were given to individuals such as Mr. Seth Laryea, Director of Leisure Hour Hotel, and Mr. Sajid Khan, General Manager of Tang Palace Hotel, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his 50 years of experience in the hotel business.

The event also acknowledged regional branches, with the Central Regional Branch receiving the Regional Branch of the Year award. Sir. Cosmas Alhassan, C.E.O. of Nim Avenue Hotel, Northern Region, was named Hotelier of the Year, and Dr. Abraham Ato Ahinful, CEO of NAATOA Hotel, Central Region, received the Award for Significant Contribution.

In conclusion, the awards night celebrated the resilience and excellence of Ghana's hotels and hoteliers, showcasing their commitment to quality service and innovation in the face of challenges, particularly those posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.