New hotel rating

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Credit: Filomena Scalise

Any seasoned traveller who has stayed in an SA hotel that was graded, say, four stars, yet had a stained carpet, smelly pillows and a temperamental shower, has wondered how the owners managed to achieve their rating. The Tourism Grading Council of SA, now part of SA Tourism, is taking steps to address this kind of problem and bring standards in line with guests' changing needs, for example for technology or greater security.

Rating reorganisation

The council's chief quality assurance officer, Thembi Kunene, says the same nine categories, ranging from hotels to backpackers' lodges, will remain, but they are being slightly reorganised into "formal", "guest accommodation" and "self-catering" subdivisions.

Grading requirements will become more comprehensive, but also more flexible, to improve uniformity in assessments. This is important because the council's 65 assessors vary widely in personal experience and preference.

Flexibility is needed so that a five-star establishment that, for instance, appeals to guests trying to get away from TV and the Internet need not be penalised. That establishment can either make those services available on request or put in a motivation to the council for a dispensation on its score.

Assessment

In future 63 aspects will be assessed annually, instead of the current 46, and the score will be out of 1000 points, rather than out of 460. An establishment could in future score zero on shoddy areas, whereas under the current system even unacceptable standards could earn a couple of points, so it hasn't been too difficult to earn one or two stars.

The council has also, after consultation with its inspectors, overhauled the way assessments will work in future, Kunene says. At present, inspectors find establishments and sign them up to the grading system, in return for which they earn a commission. They then assess those establishments each year. Clearly, this system has been open to abuse.

Kunene says from 1 October, the council will allocate inspectors to establishments and make sure they don't grade members they have recruited.

Source: Financial Mail