Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda have set June 2016 as the deadline for the completion of the classification of hotels.

The three countries are using the EAC’s 2010 gazetted criteria on hotel grading and classification. The standards are similar to the ones used to rate South African hotels.

The criteria include schedules for the star rating classification of lodges, motels, tented camps, town hotels, vacation hotels, villas, cottages, serviced apartments and restaurants.

Co-ordinator of the East African Tourism Platform Waturi Matu says if the three governments put their resources together, the deadline will be achieved.

“ It is important to have the same hotel grading and classification to enhance competitiveness among the three partner states,” said Ms Matu.
“This will make it easier for tourists to evaluate hotel rates in terms of their expectations.”

In East Africa, only Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania have started the process of grading and classifying their hotels. Tanzania has classified 60 per cent of its hotels, while Rwanda has graded 31 out of 85 hotels in the country.

“The process, which started in 2011, has been slow, but has picked up again and it is likely that we will meet the deadline,” said Emmanuel Werabe, the Rwanda Development Board tourism quality and standards manager.

“We hope to report on the progress every two months,” Mr Werabe said.

Uganda, which began the process in May, has covered more than 40 hotels in the country. The process is being carried out by the Ugandan Tourism Board.

Kenya and Burundi are yet to start. In Kenya, the exercise is expected to kick off before the end of this year through the Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA).

However, TRA Director General Korir Lagat said they are yet to receive communication on who will conduct the exercise and when it should start. Different hotel rating standards in the region have been causing friction among tourism industry players.