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The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) has vowed to shut down all hospitality facilities, operating in the Ashanti Region without authorization. Mr. Ekow Sampson, the Regional Manager, said they would stop at nothing to end the impunity and make sure that acceptable standards were kept to promote the country as a preferred tourist destination in sub-Saharan Africa. The Authority was therefore stepping up its monitoring and supervisory role. Mr. Sampson told a media briefing in Kumasi that 30 hotels, restaurants, night clubs and travel and tours had been identified for closure. These facilities had neither registered with the GTA nor received licenses to do business and that could not the accepted. A Task Force set up to rein in the offenders and apply the appropriate sanctions, would move into action, next week, he added. Mr. Sampson said since the beginning of the year, 30 sub-standard and illegal facilities had been closed down and advised the public to stay off such facilities, particularly during the Christmas festivities. Tourism, he noted, had become a major driver of the economies of many a developing country, with international tourism arrivals to emerging markets and developing countries in 2011, amounting to $459 million. He appealed to corporate bodies to invest in tourism infrastructure and said �our rich cultural heritage, beautiful landscapes and unique biodiversity can be packaged well to attract tourists and bring in more revenue�.