Some Kenyan hotels risk closure after the government on Monday categorically stated that many of them have been erroneously classified within the renowned five-star ratings system.
Speaking on Monday at the Pardamat Conservancy in Narok County, Mutua lamented that the true standards of most Kenyan hotels don't align with their star ratings, effectively dragging Kenya on the negative side of the best international practices.
CS Mutua raised concerns about the misclassification of facilities, noting that some labeled as 5-star are actually 2-star, while others classified as 3-star are notably inferior.
“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
As such the CS issued a new directive requiring fresh vetting and a review process for the system employed in Kenya currently to ensure that Kenya achieves the highest standards possible.
Once the review is conducted, the facilities which fail to meet the standards will be shut down.
According to the CS, the current ratings were issued by unscrupulous individuals blinded by gifts and services offered to them by hotel owners.
In line with the new directive, the CS stated that he would be meeting the hotel owners for consultative meetings on the matter.
“I want the society and the community to be ready because I will be meeting hotel owners because some five stars will become three stars, some three stars will become 2 stars, some 2 stars will become 1 star and some hotels will be closed down”, stated the PS.
The new directive is aimed at improving the standards in the Kenyan Tourism Industry as Kenya continues to promote itself as one of the most competitive global destinations.
Notably, this comes after CS Mutua on February 4 stated that the ministry was working to ensure that Kenya's tourism profile is value-based and based on a sustainable platform.
He had also noted that he was willing to buy the hotels to reap the benefits that the industry would accrue if the hotel owners failed to believe in the government’s promise.
