Comments on: Should Accreditation Of Accommodation Establishments Be Required By Law?

By: Jen Koen

Jen Koen — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 14:56:35 +0000

I have operated a guest house since 1994. Sub standard operators have always been a problem and because of that many say “force compliance with a single national standard”…the problem with that in SA is inefficient implementation on the one hand and draconian attitudes once these guys are in power (eg see Barry Thomas’ letter above.) In my view the hierarchical grading system is outdated and was meant for the more homogenous hotel industry anyway. A lateral system for guesthouses etc. is needed. Price, comfort, image and entertainment are the needs of the guests those should be SELLING POINTS for guesthouses: categories like BUDGET, COMFORT and STATUS and THEME should normalize Competition into appropriate strata. There are now too many people spending too much trying to be 4 star and above because 3 and below are stigmatized while the most business is at the lower end of the market. Open it up!! The industry will improve if it is NEEDS DRIVEN not driven by government whims, for heavens sake. These guys don’t know your industry anyway, don’t give them teeth, YOU are the one’s that will be bitten. The Guest House sector needs it’s own official voice to government and must not resort under hotels…they operate differently and not in our interests.

By: Rudi Roux

Rudi Roux — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 15:57:08 +0000

I believe that accreditation is essentail because it provides a benchmark and gives our accommodation indrustry creditability in the international market. It also means that set standards are required and can be expected by guests.

By: Elsa Lourens

Elsa Lourens — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 11:48:03 +0000

I DO SO AGGREE. MAKE IT LAW. I operated a four star Guesthouse for almost 4 years. We then had a lot accommodations establishments open in our town. These guys charge rediculously low prices and the accommodation is SHOCKING. We had to lower our prices (which was alreay lower than any ather graded establishment in our town).STILL our bookings did not pick up. We then decided to do an exercise in which cancelled our grading with TGCSA, Within 2 weeks we were fully booked and business has been booming for the past 4 months. THIS IS REDICILOUS. Our standard remain 4 star, and we have upped our price back to where it used to be, AND STILL we are full. This is not making sense - UNLESS - companies and individuals are not even checking any establishment that is graded when making their bookings. This van be due to economic restraints or company policies DUE to the economic climate. With making it law we ELLIMINATE the accommodation establishments that do NOT comply to SOME standards. WE NEED HELP UN THIS INDUSTRY, and regulation is the key.

By: Lorraine Martin

Lorraine Martin — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 16:54:17 +0000

I agree that all accommodation should be at least accredited to protect unsuspecting tourists from accom vendors just wanting the money but not offering the service. Sadly each accreditation agent has different standards, and one even approved houses without towels…….hello. Show me which foreign tourist travels with a bath towel and I will rst my case.

TGCSA has also dissappointed us as they have failed to address a situation satisfactorily or timeously, that was reported to them 2 years ago via our grading inspector.

A part time agent in our town, who is not a member of the local tourism office, is advertising her business on houses as “***** 5 star accommodation” Her houses are not graded.
TGCSA just does not seem to have the teeth or people on board to sort this kind of pirating out. I would like some comment and advise from readers about these two points.
Regards,
Lorraine

By: c stevens

c stevens — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:11:57 +0000

The government increased the VAT amount for registration to 1 million.
Small guesthouses have often no VAT registration. They can but they do not.
If a South African company which has VAT registration ( because their turn over is more than a million ) charges foreign companies they have to add VAT.
This means that foreign companies will not book for these accommodations because they are far more expensive compared to what clients see as to be paid as they arrive in that guesthouse.
Smaller guesthouses etc. have a problem if they want to sell on the international market.
The best way to promote small businesses ( non vat accommodations ) is that SARS should allow ground handlers / SA companies, to charge no VAT if they sell internationally.

Calculation NON VAT acco R 100.
Commission 10 % 10,-
To be paid 90,-

Selling on the international market :
Buying R 90,-
Vat 14 % 12.60.
Commission 10,-
To be received 112.60
add on for the international travel agent/tour operator at least 10 %..
Say selling for R 125.- which means a higher rate of 25 %.
It is clear that the international travel agent/tour operator will not sell to avoid complaints