Standardising tourist hotels starts
A six-member team led by TCB started a countrywide hotel standardization and classification assessment yesterday. The assessment is in line with the government’s decision which requires all hotels catering to tourists to be upgraded to a minimum of three star category.
The month-long exercise will assesses tourist hotels and accommodations registered with the Tourism Council of Bhutan (TCB). The hotels have been given two years to upgrade themselves.
The past grading system, which categorized hotels into class A, B and C, was done away with as tourists started demanding international grading.
The government will supply upgradation of hotels. In line with this, TCB is devising incentive schemes in the form of tax breaks, easy access to loans and duty exemptions, among others, to help upgrade hotels. The government will give a 10-year tax break for hotels constructed between 2010 and 2015.
However, some hoteliers say that taking additional loans for upgradation is a concern since there is no guarantee that 100,000 tourists will come in by the end of 2012.
But according to the Joint Director of TCB’s services division, Kunzang Norbu, since there would not be major structural changes to the hotels, upgradation of infrastructure may not cost much. He said that the category of the hotels would not be determined by the number of rooms but basic requirements. Although star rating will be based on the international standard, the system will be Bhutanised to suit local requirements including green or environmentally-friendly elements that can earn extra points.
Lodges, guest houses, farm houses, and apartments will follow a different guideline, not star rating system.
Today, tourists come only through tour operators, but from 2011, they can come through hotels as well. This is expected to increase the tourist inflow.
The hotel assessment team consists of members from TCB, Association of Bhutanese Tour Operators, Hotel Association of Bhutan, and Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry led by a consultant, who was involved in designing the classification system.
Today, there are 124 TCB approved hotels, 46 of which are under construction. Thirty-three hotels cater to regional tourists and 33 restaurants, to international tourists.
Back Drop
Facilities requirements
- Three star hotel
- Standard single room – 10 m2
- Standard double room – 16 m2
- All rooms equipped with bath, shower and toilet
- TV, direct dial telephone and clock/alarm in the room
- A lobby, reception desk occupied during day time
- Luggage rack
- Lightproof curtains or blinds in the rooms
- Full breakfast
- Restaurant with ala carte menu
- Room service during the day
- At least one international credit card accepted
Three star guest house and lodge
- Good quality comfortable bedrooms
- Well-maintained practical décor
- Good choice of quality items available for breakfast
- Other meals, where provided, are freshly cooked
- Good level of customer care
Apartments (self catering tourist accommodations)
- May not provide any meals and provide limited other services
- Bed linens and towel changes may not be offered
- Cleaning of rooms may be limited to once a week
- Basic kitchen equipment to meet essential cooking requirements and appropriate dish/cutlery is a minimum standard
- All technical quality standards are in compliance to one to three star ratings of hotels and guest houses.
Source: bhutanobserver