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A member of the Ghana Hoteliers Association has called on the government to come out with incentives to help improve the hotel industry and meet international standards. Nana Agyei Okogyeadie, Managing Director of DeBAPS Hotel at Hwidiem in the Asutifi South District of Brong-Ahafo in an interview with The Chronicle indicated that the soaring cost of maintenance of hotels and multiple taxes imposed on them were affecting the industry. He has, therefore, appealed to the government to review the Ghana Revenue Authority tax and the multiple taxes imposed on hotels, as well as provide incentives for the sector. Nana Agyei continued that even though members of the Hoteliers Association appreciate the passage of the Legislative Instrument (L.I 1817) which provides tax and incentive to operators, �the package did not cover things such as electronic door keys, ceramic tiles and other essentials in the hotel industry.� He, therefore, appealed for help in that direction as the sector tried to meet global standards. According to him, tourism had become a highly competitive socio-economic and environmental activity in both developed and developing countries and that Ghanaian hoteliers need support from the government to make the hospitality industry attractive and affordable. The Managing Director of De BAPS noted that some of the District Assemblies by-pass hoteliers who are qualified and also pay their respective taxes to the appropriate authorities to give contracts of catering services to their individual cronies and relatives who are not registered. This conduct, he noted, did not bode well for the sector. �The Assemblies should collaborate with the Hotels within their jurisdiction to help create job opportunities for the youth to improve the economic standard of the districts,� he said. Due to the soaring cost of maintenance, coupled with multiple taxes, De BAPS hotel has drastically reduced its staff from 29 to 13.