Strict Classification For Hotels

The selected consultant will have the following tasks: design standards of classification, the evolution of grading standards, the promotion of new ranking among professionals and the general public and the establishment of an Enforcement Authority.
Announced in the 2012 budget, the project aims to improve the quality of facilities and services and subsequently enhance the competitiveness of the Mauritian destination to promote disciplined development in the field of tourist accommodation, help tourists to be better informed and get 'value for money' and to facilitate the marketing of hotels. A 'Steering Committee has been established in the Ministry of Tourism to ensure that the project is progressing in the right direction. This, in constant consultation with the operators concerned.
To be classified , hotels must meet the minimum requirements of the following categories : rooms and reception area , maintenance and safety , food and entertainment. This was established four technical committees working on this project since February 2012.
"TThe Technical Working Groups had been meeting regularly to work out the criteria. The initial point of departure for development of the criteria pertained to those standards used in classification systems in other countries. However, the criteria had been adapted to the local context and had been subject to several rounds of discussions" mentioned a document issued by the Tourism Authority .
However, the ' Steering Committee ' recognizes it does not have the right skills for the completion and development of this project to further modernize the Mauritian tourism industry.
"The design of the Hotel Classification System has yet to be completed. Indeed, the criteria for technical assessment require fine-tuning and weight needs to be assigned to each of them for classification purposes. In addition, other key issues remained to be finalised including the methodology, the scoring mechanism, the hotel classification manual and other relevant documents, institutional structure and capacity building" , can we also read in the same document . This explains the decision of the authorities concerned to seek foreign expertise . Interested consultants have until October 31 to submit their applications . The contract award is expected before the end of the year.