AMMAN - Hotels across the country will be brought up to international standards under a new classification system to be introduced by the Ministry of Tourism next year.
Under the system, developed by the Tourism Ministry and the USAID/Jordan Tourism Development Project (JTDP), all hotels, hotel suites and apartments will be required to meet the new standards by the end of 2010, according to the JTDP.
"Quality is critical to providing any services, and in the hotel sector it is vital," JTDP Component Leader Joseph Ruddy said.
"Tourists expect a minimum international level of tourism services and comfort; Jordan's hotels must be able to provide this in order to compete as a global tourism destination. The new system will enable them to do this," he added.
The previous hotel classification system, which was developed in 1993, focused mainly on structural integrity rather than service quality, according to the JTDP.
The new system is designed to place the customer at the focus of hotel operations.
Throughout next year, all hotels will be inspected, classified and given a grace period in which to address areas that need to be upgraded to meet the new standards.
As part of the switch to the new classification system, the Jordan Hotels Association (JHA), the ministry and the JTDP will inform hotel establishments about the new classification standards through awareness sessions to be held across the country.
In addition, information booklets will be distributed to hotels and a classification website is to be launched as a reference guide for hoteliers and customers alike, according to officials.
Next month, classification inspectors from the ministry, JHA and the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority will be trained in assessing the hotels.
Any new hotels that are due to open will be classified according to the new standards as of January 31, 2010. Licence renewal will be mandatory under the classification system to ensure that hotels across the country maintain their standards.
By January 2011, all hotels across the Kingdom will be reclassified under the new system, according to authorities.
© Jordan Times 2009
