100 Tanzanian Hotels Classified
Tanzanian ministry of tourism classifies 100 hotels
Dar Es Salaam — The Ministry of Tourism and Natural Resources has completed classification of about 100 hotels into various star rankings.
Deputy Minister Ezekiel Maige told the 'Daily News' today that a total of 203 hotels in Dar es Salaam and Coast regions have been assessed but "more than half of them did not attain star standards, though they can still be called hotels."
In November 2006, the East African Community's Council of Ministers approved the classification and standardization criteria to be used in the region in the quest to attract more capital into the economic grouping.
The standardized classification guarantees higher quality tourism facilities and better management of the hospitality industry.
Mr Maige said that his ministry had, in 2006, also completed preliminary assessment of Hotels in Manyara and Arusha regions. He noted that classification of all hotels countrywide could take about three years, provided funds were available.
He said that financing has been the major problem in the classification exercise but the ministry was confident that the new Tourism Act 2009 would reduce the problem as it requires creation of Tourism Development Levy.
The classification is expected to mitigate customer complaints of being charged at higher tariffs than the level of the hotel.
"In some cases a tourist could pay US $400 hoping that he would find hotel services worth that amount of money but when they come they find a different environment -- the service turns out to be more expensive but at a lower quality standard," he said.
He said that all hotels are expected to maintain standards according to their classes and that the Director of Tourism would monitor and punish those who would not adhere to the requirements.
Source: www.pax.travel
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