Some 111 accommodation facilities of all categories earmarked for the Golden Jubilee celebrations are bracing up to lodge receive dignitaries.

As the countdown to the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Cameroon's reunification draws near, the Lodging and Hospitality subcommittee within the framework of the milestone historical event is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that all lodging facilities in Buea and other neigbouring towns are upbeat for the event. To go by the Regional Delegate of Tourism and Leisure for the South West, Peter Pel Elangwe, who heads the subcommittee, a total of 2335 hotel rooms of all categories have been identified in 111 hotels in Buea and its neigbouring metropolis.

Mr. Elangwe disclosed that 744 rooms are available in 36 hotels in Buea, 951 rooms in 34 hotels in Limbe, 64 rooms in six hotels in Tiko while Muyuka counts 25 rooms in three hotels and Kumba 551 rooms in 32 hotels. Added to these public lodging facilities earmarked to accommodate dignitaries during the reunification celebrations, are some 20 well equipped houses in Buea to lodge high profile dignitaries.

According to the tourism official, promoters of these lodging and hospitality facilities have been adequately sensitized to keep their structures attractive before, during and after the historical event. Fako and Meme administrations, CT gathered, have also held meetings with hotel managements to reiterate the need for hygiene and sanitation in their respective outfits.

Far-reaching Impact

At the government owned historic Mountain hotel and Parliamentary Flat hotels renovated within the framework of the Reunification anniversary, all is set as the structures which now symbolize an Eldorado of beauty, are already operational and open to the public as Nfor Thaddeus, Manager of the Mountain Hotel told Cameroon Tribune. "At our level, we can handle any event," he intimated.

The two state hotels that gulped circa FCFA 400 million boast of 123 rooms including chalets, an ultra modern restaurant and a 300 capacity conference room, a souvenir shop amongst other facilities. The Mountain hotel which remains a monument in Cameroon's reunification history, according to its Manager, will have a far reaching socio-economic impact as it will continue running its normal commercial activities and generate revenue for the state treasury and serve as a marketplace for tourism activities in the region considered as a tourist destination.

Its impact will go beyond the anniversary event as it will trickle down in the socio-economic life of Buea either directly or indirectly. Some 80 young Cameroonians have already been offered employment by the structure thanks to the event. Though by press time the swimming pool of the Mountain Hotel was dysfunctional due to technical reasons, Mr. Nfor assured that the machine for pumping water into the pool will soon be installed.

Apart from these standard lodging facilities earmarked, some schools and other institutions in Buea have also been identified to accommodate the population that will throng into Buea from all the six administrative divisions of the South West Region.