SA TOURISM’S STAR-GRADING SYSTEM MAKES GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT SIMPLE

GRADED ESTABLISHMENTS OFFER ACCOMMODATION WITHIN RELIABLE PRICE AND QUALITY PARAMETERS.

Government officials now have the convenience of choosing from more than 5000 star-graded establishments across the country when procuring and booking accommodation for government-related business.

This follows the National Treasury issuing its fourth instruction of 2017/2018, which provides guidelines on the permissible expenditure on accommodation services by public servants, and outlines the benefits of using star-graded establishments.

Thanks to the star-grading system administered by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa, a business unit of

South African Tourism, government officials can now have peace of mind when planning and budgeting for accommodation, events and conferences.

Star-graded establishments offer predictable and reliable standards of quality and service according to stringent grading criteria, allowing for smooth supply chain processes when sourcing facilities for accommodation or meetings.

This system provides the quality assurance that is increasingly being sought by tourism businesses seeking to amplify their offerings. The grading criteria is internationally recognised and globally benchmarked against the world’s leading quality standards for hospitality establishments.

“Star grading also increases consumer confidence in South Africa’s accommodation and conferencing offerings, enhancing the country’s international competitiveness as a tourism destination of choice,” says South African Tourism’s Chief Executive Officer, Sisa Ntshona.

This, in turn, will help the tourism sector achieve the inclusive economic growth needed to fulfill the National Development Plan’s vision of eliminating poverty and reducing inequality by 2030, he adds.

Ntshona says that the National Treasury guidelines on using quality-assured accommodation are an endorsement of the tourism industry’s ongoing efforts to benchmark and entrench excellence. “It’s encouraging to see that our stakeholders in government remain dedicated to working with us to grow South Africa’s economy through a sustainable tourism industry,” says Ntshona.

“As South African government officials, we are contributing to the industry’s improvement and prosperity every time we choose to stay at a star-graded establishment. Our collective use of these establishments rewards the owners for their efforts to deliver outstanding service, and encourages the industry to continue positioning South Africa as a quality-assured destination for both local and international travellers.”