The Labadi Beach Hotel has held a health walk as part of activities to celebrate its 35th anniversary.
The walk took the management, staff and stakeholders of the plush hotel from the hotel at La to the Independence Square in Accra and back to the hotel.
The exercise, held last Saturday, marked exactly 35 years since the opening of the Labadi Beach Hotel, created as part of facilities to provide accommodation and a meeting place for the historical Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) meetings in 1991.
The march to the Independence Square and back was, therefore, meant to symbolise the hotel’s journey and its connection with Ghana’s history and development.
The Labadi Beach Hotel is now owned wholly by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).
Resilience
The Managing Director (MD) of the Labadi Beach Hotel, David Eduaful, said the 35th anniversary was a significant milestone for the hotel, describing its continued growth and success as a reflection of the resilience, dedication and commitment of its staff and stakeholders.
Some participants in the health walk. Picture: ESTHER ADJORKOR ADJEI
He said the decision to end the walk at the Independence Square was deliberate, as it connected the hotel’s history with that of the country and its pride as an independent nation.
Mr Eduaful said the hotel opened to the public on August 22, 1991, as Ghana’s first major five-star resort destination, had hosted prominent world figures, including Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip (1999), Princess Anne (2007) and Prince Edward (2016, 2018).
He said the hotel, aside from being open to participants of the NAM conference, had played an important role in positioning Ghana as a destination for international conferences and hospitality.
The MD expressed appreciation to Ghanaians, customers, staff and other stakeholders whose contributions helped build the hotel over the past 35 years.
The Head of Marketing of the Labadi Beach Hotel, Ekua Zara Ghartey-Tsagli, said the hotel had a rich history dating back to its establishment in 1991.
She said the facility was constructed within 18 months and had since evolved into an international hospitality facility that had hosted prominent personalities, including Presidents and other high-profile figures from across the world.
Mrs Ghartey-Tsagli said what distinguished the Labadi Beach Hotel was its setting, with about 14 acres of gardens, its proximity to the ocean and facilities that combined international hospitality standards with Ghanaian character.
She said the hotel remained deeply connected to its surrounding community, La and Teshie, with many of its employees coming from those areas.
The Group Desk Coordinator of the hotel, Philip Adu-Mensah, said the anniversary was an opportunity to celebrate the hotel as more than a hospitality facility.
He said the Labadi Beach Hotel had become “home” to its guests and a family to its staff and the surrounding community.
Mr Adu-Mensah, who has worked with the hotel for 16 years, said some employees had served the hotel for more than three decades, giving the institution a wealth of experience in hospitality.
