This year's event, on the theme: “Advancing the Gains of Tourism through Quality Service Delivery,” gave out 28 competitive and honorary awards to individuals and organisations who have made immense contributions to the growth of the tourism industry.

The event, held at the Banquet Hall, State House, was graced by industry players, government officials, traditional rulers and heads of diplomatic missions to celebrate outstanding performance and service excellence.

A citation presented to Mr Ansong read: “Mr Kwame Ansong has rich experience spanning various segments in the tourism and hospitality sector in Ghana.  “He has been particularly instrumental in the positioning of Ghana as a cruise-ship hub through the operations of Sunseekers Tours which has partnered with cruise companies in Europe and North-America to bring thousands of tourists into Ghana.

“Sunseekers Tours is among the leading tour operating companies in Ghana and West Africa with a solid reputation for professionalism and customer centeredness. “On the hospitality side, Mr Kwame Ansong has completely revamped Sun Lodge Hotel which is now one of the leading conference venues in Accra.”

Mrs Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, said the National Tourism Awards provided a platform to recognise and celebrate outstanding performance and service excellence.

She said the awards aimed to instil an industry-wide service culture that squarely matched prevailing global standards and made the sector truly competitive. She said the tourism industry was the fastest growing industry worldwide and it required diligence, professionalism, innovation and creativity to remain above the competition and to satisfy the growing and diverse tastes of clientele that continued to be more and more discerning and sophisticated.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, Mr Ansong expressed gratitude to the tourism industry for the recognition saying; “I thank the tourism industry for recognising our work, this is a team effort and I’m just a figurehead without the team, I am nothing.” Special awards were presented to Mr John Bentsifi Dadson, Tourism Journalist of the Year, the Buabeng Fierma Monkey Sancturay, Yilo-Krobo Municipal Assembly, Zina Lodge (Mole National Park), Papaye Fast Food, Ho Municipal Assembly and Fetu Afahye Festival.