Government policies key to raising customer service standards in tourism – Kofie

Mr. Caleb Kofie, Executive Director of the Service Excellence Foundation, has underscored the critical role of government policies, regulations, and industry standards in shaping the quality of customer service delivery within Ghana’s tourism and hospitality sector.

He said policy direction and effective regulation were central to building a culture of service excellence, which was necessary for Ghana to compete globally as a preferred tourism destination.

“Government policy sets the tone for service culture. When leadership takes service seriously, the entire tourism and hospitality ecosystem follows,” Mr. Kofie told the Ghana News Agency in an interview on Friday, in Accra.

According to him, the existing regulatory framework, covering licensing, quality assurance, safety, and staff training, play a powerful role in shaping the experience that visitors receive.

“Policies are not just bureaucratic checkboxes, they form the foundation of trust. You cannot build a world-class destination on weak standards. Both local and international guests expect consistency, professionalism, and genuine hospitality.”

Mr. Kofie stressed, however, that strong policy on paper must translate into real behaviour. “Enforcement must be firm and fair, not reactive. Incentivizing excellence through awards, tax benefits for training, and public-private collaboration drives greater impact than penalties alone. When businesses see that investing in service pays off, service standards rise naturally,” he noted.

He called for stronger government commitment to human capital development, saying that customer service excellence must be trained, coached, and reinforced across the sector.

“If we embed service culture into tourism curricula, national tourism campaigns, and continuous professional development, we will build a workforce that sees service not as a task but as a national brand asset,” Mr. Kofie said.

“Rwanda did it. Dubai did it. Ghana can too, and we have the natural warmth to excel if we match it with structured capability-building.”

He emphasized the need for stronger partnerships between government agencies and the private sector, saying that the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts and the Ghana Tourism Authority must provide clear direction and standards while operators bring those standards to life.

“Strong public-private partnerships create a service ecosystem where everyone is accountable, and everyone benefits,” he noted.

Touching on policy recommendations, Mr. Kofie proposed the development of a National Customer Service Policy tailored specifically for the tourism and hospitality sector to set clear expectations, strengthen accountability, and promote a shared service culture.

He also advocated for continuous, competency-based service education for all categories of workers, from hotel staff and tour guides to airport personnel and public officials, and called for the institutionalization of service academies and certification pathways under a national “Service Ghana” campaign.

He said, “tourism is one of our biggest economic opportunities. If we want to compete with destinations like Rwanda, Kenya, or South Africa, then service excellence cannot be optional, it has to be policy-driven.”

Mr. Executive Director urged government and industry regulators to develop benchmarks and feedback mechanisms such as service rating systems, mystery-shopping programmes, and recognition schemes to encourage continuous improvement.

“What gets measured improves, and what gets celebrated multiplies”.

He added that technology and innovation should be at the core of Ghana’s service delivery strategy. “From CRM systems to digital tourist support platforms and real-time complaint response mechanisms, technology should enhance every customer touchpoint, envisioning a future where “a visitor landing in Accra can access a 24/7 multilingual service portal.”

He said Ghana’s greatest advantage was in its people and culture of warmth, but these must now be matched with structure, standards, and a national sense of urgency.

“Our people are welcoming, and our story is powerful. Now we must match that spirit with world-class service systems and professionalism. When we do, Ghana will not only attract more visitors, we will retain them and turn them into ambassadors for Destination Ghana,” he said.

Source: GNA

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