VN Administration of Tourism to review standards at 3 to 5-star hotels

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien directed VNAT and Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism in cities and provinces on August 23 to review the management and service quality of all three-star, four-star, and five-star hotels.

The majority of hotels regularly maintain service quality and facilities, especially four- and five-star hotels. Many, however, have failed to maintain appropriate standards.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism (MCST) will direct its inspectors and the Vietnam Hotel Association to provide guidance to VNAT and Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism on organizing inspections of local accommodation, especially from three to five-star hotels. Those that have failed to maintain standards with have their ranking revoked.

Tourist accommodation has rapidly developed both in quantity and quality over recent years, according to MCST.

From 2010 to 2015 the number of hotels and luxury accommodation from three to five stars has doubled and bolstered the competitiveness and attractiveness of Vietnam’s tourism sector.

The revocation of star certification for hotels that have not maintained standards is aimed at improving the overall quality of hotels, according to VNAT.

Hotels, airlines, and airports must be in good quality to connect Vietnam with other international tourism destinations.

VNAT previously decided to revoke the three-star certification of eight hotels in Hanoi and northern Thai Nguyen province on August 4 and the three-star certification of three hotels in Hanoi on August 12, after they failed to maintain the necessary standards.

It also revoked the star certification of hotels in Quang Ninh, Thua Thien Hue, and Khanh Hoa provinces as they lacked well-trained staff and could not guarantee sanitation.

As at May, Vietnam had 101 five-star, 229 four-star, and 463 three-star hotels, according to VNAT.

Investment from major enterprises such as VinGroup, SunGroup, Muong Thanh, FLC, BIM and Tuan Chau has contributed to building modern tourism infrastructure nationwide.

International visitors to Vietnam in August were estimated at 899,738, an increase of 6.3 per cent against July and up 34.4 per cent year-on-year.

Total international arrivals in the first eight months stood at 6.4 million, 25.4 per cent higher year-on-year, and there were 43.1 million domestic tourists.