Hotel classification guidelines streamlined to make them simple, transparent

Key highlights:

• The recent amendments have included a time limit of three months
• The move will ensure a time bound compliance and speedy disposal of cases
• Hotels under all categories will have to display their status prominently 

 

The government has streamlined hotel classification guidelines to make them simple, transparent and time bound.

The application for classification and payments of fees have been made through digital platform only and the prevalent options of application by post and payment of fees by demand draft has been done away with, said statement by Ministry of Tourism today. 

The move will ensure the eradication of possibility of delay/manipulation caused by human interference.

According to the statement, the time limit for ensuring compliances on deficiencies of a hotel, the prevalent system had an open ended scope without any prescribed time limit. The recent amendments have included a time limit of three months, thus removing any discretion in the matter. This will ensure a time bound compliance and speedy disposal of cases.

"The amendments have made it clear that liquor shops/liquor stores in the premises of the hotel other than bars will not be considered for classification under star hotels "with alcohol" category, to remove any ambiguity," the Tourism  Ministry statement said.

It has been made mandatory for all the hotels classified under all categories to display their classification status prominently at the reception and on their websites under a separate icon on the opening page, which will display the order of classification issued by the Ministry of Tourism, the statement said.

The Ministry said that the amendments have included a detailed timeline within which the classification has to be completed. 

"In every case where the required documents and procedures are fulfilled, the classification will be completed within 90 days. Event wise time limits (like inspection, uploading inspection report, submission of compliance in case of deficiencies, approval of Competent Authority and uploading of classification letter etc.) have been fixed to ensure that all the cases with no deficiency /compliance issues can be classified within 90 days of the date of application," the statement added.