The Managing Director of Labadi Beach Hotel, Mr David Eduaful has expressed concern about the high cost of managing a hotel business in Ghana blaming it largely on the lack of industries to produce quality products.

He said this in an interview with Lexis Bill on Thursday, September 26, while recounting his 31-year journey in the hospitality industry on Personality Profile.

He disclosed that he and his team import products such as toothpicks due to the high-quality products manufactured outside Ghana.

According to him, this has contributed to the high cost of hotels in Ghana, as compared to places outside Ghana. “The cost of business in this part of the world is high. You cannot absorb everything. The consumer must absorb some. We pay 22% taxes, so we cannot absorb everything. We import our beef. If you want quality, you must import and import even toothpicks. It’s a very tough industry to be in. If you want quality, you import.”

He added that he would purchase any made-in-Ghana product so far as it was of high quality and would satisfy his customers. Meanwhile, he has advised Ghanaian workers especially those in the hospitality industry to exhibit good work ethics in the delivery of their responsibilities.

He said, “If I did not love my job and do it with all my heart, I don’t think I would be where I am today, so I think that it is important that as humans or Ghanaians, we believe in ourselves.”

“And I always remember this quote… if you have no confidence, you have been defeated twice in the race of life, but if you have confidence then you have won even before you start”.

Being the very first Ghanaian to occupy the position that he occupies now at Labadi Beach Hotel, Mr Eduaful cited confidence, humility and a passion for his work as the qualities that had brought him this far.

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He disclosed that his confident approach to things and hard work drew good attention to him and motivated his superiors to appoint him for positions that he was rather not so prepared for, yet he excelled in those areas.

He also advised that all workers should be committed to their work and enjoy what they do. He emphasized that this is what makes Labadi Beach Hotel stand out in Ghana – the commitment of the workers.

He praised the staff of Labadi Beach Hotel saying, “The staff of Labadi are just awesome. They love what they do and are so dedicated and for me, in our industry, you may have a beautiful building and all the facilities but if the human factor or the people working there are not dedicated and don’t give that customer service that is needed, nobody will come to your property.”

Mr Eduaful revealed that he was the first Ghanaian to be appointed as a house manager for the premier five-star hotel, serving in that role from 2005 to 2018.

“I was the first Ghanaian house manager of a five-star hotel in Ghana. It has always been for expatriates. I did that for 17 years. That was the longest position I held in the hotel.”

About Labadi Beach Hotel

The Labadi Beach Hotel, Ghana’s Premier 5-star Hotel is set amidst tropical landscaped gardens, a 10-minute drive to the Kotoka International Airport and 15 15-minute drive to the Central Business District.

The hotel is located adjacent to Ghana’s most popular Pleasure Beach and boasts a well-maintained private beach with 24-hour security surveillance offering colorful cocktails and bites as you watch the sunset.

Labadi Beach Hotel is set to meet the demands of both Leisure and Business travellers; offering a modern Spa with four treatment rooms in the serene ambience of the beach gardens, a well-equipped gymnasium, an outdoor lap pool as well as a leisure pool, two flood-lit tennis courts and an outdoor running space within its expansive gardens filled with coconut trees.

Facilities

With 164 well-appointed rooms and seven room types including 2 Presidential suites, room sizes ranging from 30m² to 126m² to choose from, be certain to be pampered, well-rested, and taken care of as you enjoy a combination of opulence and elegance in a classy en-suite bathroom with separate shower, toilet, and bathtub, a bidet, bathrobe and slippers, shaver point, hair dryer, direct dialling telephone services, complimentary fully stocked mini-bar, complimentary high-speed internet access: both WIFI and CAT6 Cabled, 40” flat screen LED TV with DSTV bouquet and of course, complimentary tea and coffee making facility.

Labadi Beach Hotel has the state of art conference facilities with a maximum seating capacity of 800 people theatre style and serene garden space for your weddings, parties, and corporate events.

Foodies have the luxury of choosing any of our extended hours dining spaces – a la carte Cocktail Bar, the al Fresco Terrace bar overlooking the swimming pool, the Lagoon Bar on the preserved cultural and spiritual Lagoon of the La Traditional People, the beach bar overlooking the Atlantic ocean as well as the Akwaaba Buffet Restaurant.

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