There is the need to establish more hospitality training schools to incorporate the needed skills development that will prepare students for the modern industry.
Currently, there is lack of trained service professionals which limits the capacity for growth of the hospitality industry.
The Sales and Marketing Manager of Accra City Hotel, Yaw K. Mamphey, who made the call, noted that the responsibility for developing service-oriented human resources in the hospitality industry rested on the structures of the country’s hospitality management education delivery. “Getting the right workforce to work in a hotel facility is not easy in this country and our human resources team has to go above and beyond to find the right talent to work here.
Also, to even find the right facilities to train the staff to perform at their best is also a big challenge for us. “So if the hospitality training schools could be beefed up and be supported to provide the highest level of training, it will help produce individuals who can provide services that meet the current demands in the hospitality industry,” Mr Mamphey said.
He was speaking in an interview with the Daily Graphic at an event to mark Accra City Hotel’s 35th anniversary. The theme for this year’s celebration was: “Comfort & Quality Since 1988.” For the past three and a half decades, Mr Mampey said, the hotel had dedicated itself to providing guests with an unmatched experience of comfort and quality.
“From its inception as the first-star-rated hotel to its evolution into Accra City Hotel, it has established itself as a benchmark for excellence in the hospitality industry,” he stressed. He said the hotel had constantly strove to create an atmosphere of comfort and tranquility. He said what set the hotel apart was its unwavering commitment to ensuring the comfort of its guests.
Dedicated staff
“The journey towards milestone anniversaries such as this is never an individual effort, but the result of a dedicated team working collectively.
“We always make sure we perform at the highest level. We bring the right team, the right staff to beef up the team to make sure that we provide the best of services at any given time”.
“It’s not been easy these 35 years we’ve existed, but we developed an antidote which is to keep the staff motivated. We create a microcosm of a family unit and it’s all about giving them what they need and giving them the necessary training,” Mr Mamphey added.
He, therefore, expressed his gratitude to the staff, indicating that their unwavering commitment to service excellence was what had helped shape the reputation of the hotel.
Challenges in the past 35 years, he said, had not been easy but in spite of whatever challenges that had come, the hotel always found a way to achieve whatever it wanted.
“The sector is very tough, but we do not dwell too much on the challenges. With the right leadership in place and the right strategy, it’s always possible to move above and beyond those challenges,” he added.
Expansion
Currently, he said the hotel was undergoing an expansion project and that included expanding its conference room, restaurant, gym and had also added a spa and a salon. He said the expansion was part of efforts to ensure that the hotel continued to remain relevant and met the demands of its clients.
“We are also focused on providing what the guests want because it’s all about the needs of our guests and not what we just want to do and that is what has kept us relevant for the past 35 years,” Mr Mamphey stated.
Source: graphic.com.gh
