The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has reminded operators of Airbnb properties that they are required by law to register and obtain the necessary licence before commencing operations.

The reminder follows an ongoing enforcement exercise by the GTA in the Central Region, which has seen four hospitality establishments temporarily shut down for various regulatory breaches.

The affected facilities are Wiz Homes, an Airbnb property in Cape Coast, Elmina Beach Resort, Savoy Hotel, and Veke Executive Lodge.

Charles Buabin, the Regional Director of Tourism, said the law does not exempt Airbnb properties from the registration and licensing requirements applicable to accommodation establishments.

“In the laws of Ghana, Airbnb is not stated as a facility. All accommodation enterprises are supposed to be registered and licensed before they can operate,” he said.

He explained that the requirement applies to accommodation providers regardless of the platform through which they offer their services.

Mr Buabin said facilities found to be operating without the necessary licence would be required to regularise their operations and comply with the applicable regulations.

He urged the public and patrons of hospitality establishments to check the licensing status of facilities and ensure their licences are valid before patronising them.