World Cup hoteliershave to playby the rules

French hotel owners face being fined or stripped of their star status if they fleece World Cup fans during this summer's soccer festival.

Andre Daguin, boss of France's hotel industry federation, warned his 88,000 members last week: "If you try to rip off the football fans, you'll be the losers in the end.

"Wildcat price increases won't make you rich. You will simply lose the confidence of tourists and in the long-term you will suffer."

The federation has set up its own central booking system to ensure supporters are not cheated during the tournament, Daguin said. He added: "We are confident that most hoteliers will heed the warning and play fair with visitors.

"Our inspectors will be on the look out and hotels that cheat guests could lose their star rating and be fined."

Meanwhile, more than 10,000 French hotels have joined the Bonjour organisation, meaning they have pledged to be polite, welcoming and helpful to guests during the tournament. They display window stickers showing a smiling face and a "Bonjour!" greeting in a speech bubble.