Jordan Minister of Tourism on hotel classification

Jordan Minister of Tourism and Antiquities HE Maha Khatib [Getty Images].

A new hotel classification system has been introduced in Jordan which finally recognises quality and service over structural elements. The country’s 331 hotels will be assessed under the new system during 2010 with the aim being to upgrade service standards, according to Minister of Tourism and Antiquities HE Maha Khatib, who disclosed the rationale behind the plan to Hotelier

When and why was it deemed necessary to develop a new hotel classification system for Jordan?

HE Maha Khatib: The need for a new system was identified as part of the Quality Assurance component of Jordan’s National Tourism Strategy 2004-2010. Tourism has become one of the main income generators for Jordan and therefore, quality assurance was given greater importance.

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It was necessary to update the previous system in order to upgrade hotel standards to include items demanded by 21st century tourists and meet their dramatically increased expectations.

The old hotel classification system was developed in 1993 by the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA) and it focused mainly on the structural element of a hotel and very little on quality and services provided. It also included standards related to fire, health, safety and building codes, which are not the specialty of hotel assessors

When the system was revised, it put the customer as the central focus of the hotel operation, and therefore an item or an area would not be considered a standard for classification if it is not seen as beneficial by the guest.

What hotel classification systems around the world did you draw inspiration from and why?

HE MK: The European system because it is mainly regulated by the government and this is the approach that the steering committee decided to adopt, whereas in the US it is regulated by private companies such as the AAA and Michelin.

The system is based on services not facilities; how does it work exactly?

HE MK: The hotel classification is designed from the point of view of the guest. It is not the input in terms of investment or effort, but the output in terms of guest satisfaction that is the deciding factor in the choice of standards and the relevancy attributed to them.

In this regard, the only physical element determined by the new system is the size of the rooms. The previous system considered many others, such as the size of hallways, swimming pools, and the kitchen.

The new system, for example, is not concerned about the size of the kitchen, but instead looks at whether the food service is good and delivered in a timely manner, and the food is of high quality.
The backend structure of the hotel is not taken into consideration, as long as the expected standard of service is provided.

What are the main differences between each category?

HE MK: In terms of expectations:
• One-star is a simple hotel that offers basic minimum standards, for example Bonita Inn.
• Two-star is a simple mid-range hotel that offers a few extra services, such as a basic range of toiletries, for example Cameo Hotel.
• Three-star is a mid-range hotel where guests can enjoy the convenience of extra services, such as baby cots or ironing equipment. Al Thuraya Hotel has three-stars.
• Four-star is a first class hotel that offers a more superior experience for greater comfort, such as hair dryers available in all rooms and service lifts are separate from guest lifts. Geneva Hotel is a four-star property.
• Five-star is a luxury hotel where specific requirements of guests are accommodated, such as rooms for disabled guests, secretarial services on request, and guests can enjoy a more luxurious experience, for example by having several dining options and an extensive room service menu with food available 24 hours. Grand Hyatt Amman has five stars.