Developing Service Delivery Standards for the Hospitality Industry in Ghana

Abstract

Tourism trends in the whole wide world suggest that it is one of the biggest industries which employ over ten million people, globally. In a bid to get its fair share in this industry, the Government of Ghana has given greater attention to developing the hospitality industry to attract and accommodate a large number of tourists. However, most of the hotels in Ghana are beset with many problems as a result of poor service quality practices and its ownership types. Additionally, geographical location, cultural practices and economic factors has had a tremendous effect on their performance.  Against this background, the goal of this study include identifying some of the management problems by assessing the extent to which management practices are applied toward the delivery of quality services in the hotel business in Ghana. The research investigates the extent to which service quality operations are managed in Ghana vis-à-vis the mandatory requirements set by the Ghana Tourist Board (GTO) and the World Tourism Organisation (WTO). The study suggests ways for improving hotel quality and destination competitiveness through strategic destination management decision-making.

Keywords: Service Quality Standards, Hospitality Industry, Tourism Development