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Within the framework of its continuing efforts to improve the quality and efficiency of hotel services in the emirate, Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) organised a meeting with the emirate’s hotel sector representatives to discuss an updated hotel classification system and its implementation mechanism. The meeting was held in the presence of HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, Director General of SCTDA.
Addressing the meeting, HE Al Midfa underlined the focused approach of SCTDA towards concrete initiatives that enhance the overall tourism experience in Sharjah, and stressed the importance of cooperation between the hospitality and tourism sectors to improve Sharjah’s tourism products and hotel services to its visitors from all around the world.
“The new hotel classification system will be a key step towards achieving the Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021, which aims to attract more than 10 million tourists to our emirate by the year 2021. The new system, based on a new rating approach and mechanism, will set new benchmarks in quality of services provided by the hospitality sector based on visitor experiences,” said HE Al Midfa.
Discussing the new system, the meeting shed light on the amendments in the updated classification, which includes several new elements to assess the facilities, ranking them by points and grades across a number of criteria. The results are evaluated from periodic inspections and experiences of guests gathered in reports provided by Olrey, the leading travel data provider in the Middle East, based on online visitor feedback on the hotel facilities on the world’s leading websites. Additional points are granted for positive initiatives and additional services provided by the hotel facilities as part of the mandatory standards adopted by SCTDA in its hotel performance evaluations.
Minimum Mandatory Criteria has been set by SCTDA to ensure that the minimum expectation of the guest is fulfilled, while Rating Criteria has been included based on the state of the infrastructure, facilities and services that enhance the guest experience in an integrated manner.
The meeting explained that the new classification features 10 designators such as Beach Hotel, Resort Hotel, Business Hotel, Airport Hotel, Conventional Hotel and Heritage Hotel, which have been added to the star rating categories based on geographical location and services provided to visitors.
SCTDA recently launched Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021 by focusing on four main pillars - Ideal Family Tourism Destination, Innovative Tourism Approach, World Class Tourism Facilities and Capabilities, and International Cultural Hub - to strengthen the status of the emirate as a leading destination for family tourism.
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