Multiple Taxes, Levies Threaten Survival of Hotels – Upper East Hoteliers
Hoteliers in the Upper East Region have raised concerns over the growing burden of taxes, levies and regulatory charges imposed on businesses in the hospitality sector, warning that the situation is putting some hotels under severe financial strain and threatening their survival.
Chairman of the Hoteliers Association in the Upper East Region and Manager of Tap Hotel, Simon Aluzeele, has therefore appealed to the government and the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) to urgently harmonise the various taxes, levies and charges imposed on hotels and other hospitality businesses.
According to Mr. Aluzeele, the multiplicity of charges from different regulatory agencies is eroding the profitability of hotels, discouraging investment and undermining the competitiveness of Ghana’s tourism and hospitality industry.
He made the call at the Ghana Tourism Authority’s 2026 Tourism Award Night held at the Akayet Hotel in the Upper East Region, where individuals and institutions whose contributions have supported the growth of tourism in the region were recognised and honoured.
“Our members across the various regions continue to grapple with the overwhelming multiplicity of taxes, levies and penalty charges imposed by agencies including the EPA, FDA, the Fire Service, the Municipal Assemblies and a host of other regulatory bodies,” Mr. Aluzeele said.
He explained that while hoteliers recognised the importance of regulation, the number of separate charges and compliance requirements had become a major operational challenge for businesses already facing rising costs.
“This multiplicity not only erodes profitability; it discourages us and undermines our competitiveness within the destination in the southern regions,” he stated.
Mr Aluzeele subsequently called on the government and the Ghana Tourism Authority, as the principal regulator of the tourism industry, to develop a harmonised regulatory framework that would streamline the various charges and reduce the financial burden on hospitality operators.
“Our theme is about crossing borders. We respectfully renew our appeal to government and the Ghana Tourism Authority, our principal regulator, to initiate a harmonised framework that will keep us in business,” he appealed.
He said a more coordinated regulatory system would enable hotels to redirect resources towards improving service delivery, expanding their businesses and creating more employment opportunities for local communities.
Mr. Aluzeele stressed that the sustainability of the hospitality industry was critical to the broader development of tourism, particularly in regions where hotels and tourism-related businesses provide jobs and support local economies.
The 2026 Ghana Tourism Authority Tourism Award Night, held under the theme “Celebrating Excellence Beyond Borders – The Black Star Experience,” brought together tourism industry players, government representatives, hoteliers and other stakeholders to celebrate outstanding contributions to the sector.
The event also gave stakeholders a platform to reflect on the achievements of Ghana’s tourism industry while highlighting challenges that continue to affect businesses operating in the sector.
Mr. Aluzeele urged government, the GTA and other regulatory agencies to engage hospitality operators in finding practical solutions to the industry’s challenges.
He said a more supportive and predictable business environment would help hotels remain operational, improve service quality, and enable the hospitality sector to contribute more meaningfully to job creation, local economic development, and tourism growth in the Upper East Region.
Source: Joseph Napoleon Anaaya
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