GTA begins collection of Tourism Levy from local food vendors

Years after the introduction of the 1 percent Tourism Levy, the Ghana Tourism Authority is yet to get the informal sector within the tourism industry comply. As a decisive action on this, the authority has begun a sensitisation exercise nationwide, to whip up interest and compliance of local food vendors, to the collection of these levies on behalf and for the state.

For this matter, the GTA under the auspices of the Ministry of Creative Arts, Tourism and Culture is building the capacity of operators of local restaurants and bars to comply with the regulation.

Speaking exclusively to Skyy News’ Victor Atsu Tamakloe at the sidelines on the subject, Director of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Western Region, George Nkrumah Ansere said the response has been impressive with the formal sector.

”Since the introduction of the Tourism Levy, we have no issues with the formal food and beverage sector because of how well structured things are. However same cannot be said of the informal sector.

“In view of this, we are engaging stakeholders on the Levy, what the law expects of them and how they can comply and to start that, we have began training and sensitization programmes” he mentioned.

The Ghana Tourism Authority will continue the training and sensitization programme in the Brong Ahafo Region on Wednesday, September 11, 2019, in the Northern Region on Friday September 13th, 2019. It will then continue in the Upper East Region on Monday, 16th September, 2019, then to the Upper West on Wednesday, 18th September, 2019 and end in the Volta Region on Tuesday, 24th September, 2019.

Story: Victor A. Tamakloe/Skyy News