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Price hikes make fans hot under collar

Godfrey Botchway watched as host Ghana won the 1963 Africa Cup of Nations. Now, he fears high accommodation prices are stopping many Africans from attending this year's event.

Botchway was in Accra 45 years ago to witness his native Ghana beat Sudan 3-0 to win the first of four African Cup titles. But exorbitant hotel rates in Accra are affecting the chances of many fans on the continent to share a similar experience.

"Most African visitors could afford it then," Botchway said. "See, my problem is, I want to see Africans coming to Ghana because it's their tournament. I made a phone call at some hotel located close to Lake Volta and was told to be prepared to pay US$120 per night. Simply put, that's ridiculous."

The Airside Hotel, an upscale commercial establishment close to Accra's Kotoka airport, is charging US$180 per night for a room where Internet access costs an additional US$7 per hour.

Airside Hotel operations manager Sheila Yamusah believes the prices are justified.

"People will complain, but it happens everywhere," she said. "It was the same in Germany during the World Cup."

Botchway, who lives in the US, is lucky enough to own a house in Accra. But there are fears the prices could drive away some of the 1 million soccer fans that authorities had estimated would visit during the three-week tournament.

The rates are too high even for affluent Western tourists, according to Ghana's tourism board.

"It could just be a pure case of supply and demand, whereby the number of arrivals is higher than traditional visits," said spokesman Ben Ohene'ayeh, who has received no complaints of overcharging.

Ghana's tourism board says Africa's top sporting tournament is expected to inject US$1 billion into the nation.
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