South Sudan classifies hotels to meet international standards

July 3, 2011 (JUBA) – The government of South Sudan on Saturday said it will start classifying hotels operating in the regional capital of Juba, which will soon host foreign dignatories for the regions independence celebrations, in order to meet international standards.

South Sudan will celebrate becoming a new state – Africa’s 54th and the world’s 193rd – on July 9.

A January plebiscite, promised in a 2005 peace deal, saw an overwhelming vote in favour of secession from the North.

Following the signing of the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the oil-producing region witnessed an influx of businesses from neighboring countries. Prices of goods and accomodation have increased dramatically over last six years despite poor services.

With the region due to celebrate her independence in less than a week owners of hotels, apartments and villas who charge high fees risk having the status of their properties assessed by the government. Proprietors of self-declared three, four or five-star hotels have been told to prepared for imposed changes if their businesses do not conform to internationally acceptable standards.

Dr. Oliver Lomoro, the undersecretary in the ministry of health said in a press briefing on Saturday during the ‘Juba Clean’ exercise that her ministry in collaboration with the Juba town council and the ministry housing in the government of south Sudan are concluding an assessment carried out in May with aims to classify hotels meeting international standards and to find out hygienic conditions for all hotels operating in Juba.

Speaking in the same briefing, Mohamed El Haj Babalah, the mayor of Juba town said that most of the hotels in Juba are below international health standards and that they are likely to face downgrading.

“The systematic assessment of hotels would be sustained through regular training of local hotel inspectors. Experienced trainers will teach local inspectors about the hotel standardisation system. This will stop local hotels from declaring randomly that they had five-star status,” El Haj explained.

He added that hotel status is not about the external splendor of the structure or fancy furniture. “It is about classification which entails more than a dozen factors,” he said.

The mayor explained that the council in collaboration with government of Central Equatoria State and the government of South Sudan agreed to have a common grading regulation for regional capital as a strategy tailored to promote international standards. The new regulations will replace the outdated regulations, which did not have a specific hotel grading system and allowed hoteliers to grade their own hotels.

“Lack of communication might lead to regret as many hotels, apartments or villas will be downgraded. Some owners may launch serious complaints but the regulations are cross-cutting,” he said.

He added, “It is not about the architectural beauty of the building that determines the grade of a hotel. The assessment involves a number of factors including professionalism among service providers.”

El Hajj said that once the grading of hotels is standardised in Juba most hotels would have their status lowered. The location of the hotel and the saftey of the surrounding area will also be considered.

Other criteria will include:the degree of privacy, the drainage system, the sewage treatment system, the environmental friendliness of the facility, accommodation and the administrative structure.

Some establishments in Juba have been warned to become more hygienic or be closed El Haj said. One hotel was recently closed as they did not give staff contracts, he said.

However, he said that there was a genuine friendliness between locals and visitors in Juba’s hotels, which he said was necessary to acheive steady growth in the catering sector after the boom that will come with independence celebrations.

“Juba is one of the most expensive places in the world yet conditions of the hotels are deplorable. There need to be improved hygienic conditions so that visitors need to be treated very well. They should enjoy peaceful and welcoming atmosphere.”

Mohammed Najid, an expert and consultant in hotel classification services with South States corporation and investment in a separate interview, cited three things that should be avoided at all cost if South Sudan is to make progress in the hotel service sector.

“Lack of seriousness in administrative system and operations, indiscipline, irresponsibility and a laissez-faire attitude among entrusted officials are major setbacks,’’ Najid explained.

Language proficiency, he added, is not a serious impediment as the majority of service providers are fluent in foreign languages. He said that the grading and classification of hotels in South Sudan will restore discipline and credibility to the industry by forcing it to conform to international standards.

(ST)