Hotel grading improving service delivery—experts

Local tourism experts have commended the hotel grading system initiated by the Malawi government in 2010, saying it has contributed to improvement in service delivery in the hospitality sector.

The grading system was initiated to monitor and award stars to hotels as an upgrade applies strict criteria that sees local accommodation standards comparing favourably with those around the world.

Department of Tourism  principal tourism officer Leah Njanji, in an e-mailed response, said the exercise has seen a number of hotels undergoing refurbishments to meet their desired star ratings.

Besides that, hotels have also trained and retrained their staff, bringing improvements in the quality of services offered to customers and also construction of new facilities in terms of hotel infrastructure.

To date, a total of 24 units have been graded and awarded stars, according to the official.

However, Njanji said a number of units are due for re-assessment as this is an annual exercise.

As this is an ongoing process, only four units have star ratings and these are four-star Protea Hotels Ryalls in Blantyre, four-star Sunbird Capital, three-star Kumbali Country Lodge and two-star Mafumu Hotel  in Lilongwe.

Mzuzu University head of the tourism department, James Chilembwe, in an interview, said the grading system stimulates competition.

However, he said there is a lot that tourism players and policymakers need to do in as far as grading system is concerned to make robust developments in the tourism sector.

“Government should make a deliberate policy on grading system to become compulsory in all sectors of the industry for the tourism industry to grow holistically,” he said.

The Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism has said it will ensure that the system continues to improve service delivery in hotels and other tourism establishments.

Hotels form a part of the tourism sector, which contributes about seven percent to gross domestic product (GDP). n