Review to report on ratings probe
The ongoing review of the quality-assurance rating systems used by the tourism bodies in England, Scotland and Wales to grade accommodation is to report its initial findings next month, Caterer has learned.
The review, which began last May and is being led by Alan Britten, former chairman of the now-defunct English Tourism Council (ETC), aims to create a unified grading structure that is easier for consumers to understand. It was due to have reported its initial findings by the end of 2003 but the date has continued to slip back.
A spokeswoman for VisitBritain, the tourism body formed from the merger of the ETC and the British Tourist Authority, said Britten had completed his findings and planned to reveal them to the public in mid-May. However, the need to pilot the new ratings system and train the assessors meant "the consumer won't see anything before 2006", she added.
Under the existing system, hotels can have different ratings under different schemes. Whereas the Scottish and Welsh star systems are related to quality, the English system awards stars to hotels based on facilities, services and quality, and diamonds to guesthouses and B&Bs.
