BTA plans crowns with more clout …
by Nigel Bartlett
The British Tourist Authority (BTA) intends to strengthen the National Crown Scheme, following a review carried out by consultancy KPMG Peat Marwick.
It is understood the BTA and English Tourist Board (ETB) have been heartened by the generally favourable review of the scheme in England. However, they are becoming increasingly frustrated by the Department of National Heritage, which received a copy of the review in June but has yet to make a response.
The review was requested at the beginning of the year by former tourism minister Iain Sproat. It is understood to have recommended simplifying the Crown scheme and spending more money on promoting it.
One of the chief complaints about the scheme has been that it is too complicated. A survey in January found that only a third of foreign visitors understood the Crown symbols.
In addition, the ETB wants to strengthen complaints procedures for guests and make hotel inspections cheaper.
It also believes making the scheme compulsory for all establishments would improve quality, particularly in London, and make it easier for the BTA to promote hotels abroad.
Adele Biss, chairman of the BTA and ETB, last week made clear her commitment to the Crown scheme, which has been dogged by disagreements over its effectiveness since its inception in 1987.
Speaking at the launch of the 1994 BTA annual report, Ms Biss said the authority would be placing more emphasis on directing people towards the most suitable accommodation for their needs.
"For that reason, the BTA is a firm believer in giving the national boards' accommodation schemes more teeth," she said. She gave no further details of what this would involve, but later told Caterer she wanted to make booking accommodation easier for overseas visitors.
"In Britain we have many hotels that are very good and some that are very poor. We want to take the risk out of the decision for visitors," she said.
"We feel the Crown scheme is highly important - there is no doubt that it is improving quality."
The BTA cannot implement changes to the scheme until the heritage department responds to the review. A department spokesman said a response would be made before Christmas. He said it had received the review during the last Cabinet reshuffle, in which Stephen Dorrell and Viscount Astor took over as national heritage secretary and tourism minister respectively.
"The secretary of state is working up a strategy on tourism and doesn't want to rush a response without looking at the wider issues," said the spokesman.
