The Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife has initiated the process of reviewing hotel ratings in the country.
Speaking at a stakeholder engagement forum on Monday, the Principal Secretary within the ministry, John Oltua stated that the government would standardize hotel ratings according to the East African Community Standards.
”There must be proper accommodation and conference facilities that they are going to use. And so I want to encourage the investors that please continue investing,”, stated the PS.
The criteria was created by the EAC in 2009, with the community citing the need to have all the hotels in the bloc rated under one system.
According to the EAC, the hotels will be under review to ensure that they take into account the emerging trends in the tourism and hospitality sector.
The rating will also cover town and vacation hotels, lodges, tented camps, motels, trailers, cottages and serviced apartments.
This rating system was created following a directive by the Sectoral Council on Tourism and Wildlife Management and a Panel of Experts.
According to the EAC so far 100 reviewers have been trained to undertake the exercise.
The new directive is aimed at improving the standards in the Kenyan Tourism Industry as the industry aims to raise the numbers of visitors to Pre-Covid era numbers.
In April, Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua stated that the government would review the hotels accurately, warning the closure of some of the hotels.
“Our hotels are not really to the standards that they are rated, President Ruto and I have agreed we must rate them to the required standards,” stated Alfred Mutua
Mutua alleged that the ratings had been erroneously rated prompting the closure of those that do not meet the standards.
