First batch of 98 hotels to get Thai Hotels Standards certification
Ninety-eight Thai hotels have become the first to be certified under a concrete, clear, and reliable system of standards designed and developed by the Thailand Hotel Standard Foundation and Thai Hotels Association (THA) to ensure consistent customer service delivery and long-term sustainable growth.
TAT with Thailand Hotel Standard Foundation and Thai Hotels Association will commence a collaborative effort to improve and promote our hotel industry under the 'Restore? campaign. The 2020 Hotel Standard Awards will be presented to 98 operators with the Minister of Tourism and Sports, Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, as the guest of honor. The aim is to promote and raise the standard among 3-5 star hotels to meet the expectations of travelers in the post pandemic new normal. The event will be held at Bangkok Marriott Marquis Queen's Park.
The TAT Governor, Mr.Yuthasak Supasorn touches upon the Covid-19 global pandemic and the Ministry?s urgent measures through TAT to support tourism industry. Major collaborative projects are assembled namely the 'Restore? campaign and the Amazing Thailand Safety & Health Administration: SHA. Both aim at promoting and raising Thai hotel standard by encouraging operators to redesign their products and services to build trust and credibility among either domestic or international travelers. Thai hotels need to increase their competitiveness in order for tourism industry to resume its driver role for Thai economy.
For the project, the agencies purpose a rating scheme based on 1) physical aspects such as location and surroundings 2) structural aspects include building materials and safety provisions 3) amenities for guests and customers like toiletries and complementary items 4) quality of services and quality controls, for instance, staffs impression and how good the services are 5) hotel maintenance and facilities, especially safety, health and sanitation management.
Mr. Prakit Chinamourphong , Vice President of Thailand Hotel Standard Foundation, expresses his concern over the Covid-19 impacts on 66,209 Thai hotels with 1.8 million rooms available through online booking. He says 16,282 of them, amounting to 783,855 rooms, are registered, while other 49,927, with a total of 1,016,145 rooms, are unregistered (source: Department of Provincial Administration, May 6, 2020). Some operators with limited liquidity have to close down or sell their businesses while the remaining are in limbo. Not only do they face severely reduced income due to restricted traveling, they also need to adapt to meet visitors? new normal requirements. Hotels credibility are judged upon their safety, health and sanitization measures therefore, the operators have to response quickly. With that in mind, Thailand Hotel Standard Foundation, together with Thai Hotels Association and TAT, initiate a project to improve and promote Thai hotel standard to be able to achieve sustainable growth. Stars rating of 3-5 are awarded to operators whose products and services meet the standard focusing on safety and health. This will help restore the hotels trust and credibility among post-pandemic travelers under the new normal.
The Minister of Tourism and Sports, Mr. Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, presides at the award presentation ceremony. For the 2020 Hotel Standard Awards, 98 hotel and resort operators are selected with 28 of them as recipients of 5 star award, while 46 receiving 4 star and 24 getting 3 star standard. The Tourism Authority of Thailand points out that the effort will send a clear signal to Thai tourism operators to get prepared prior to returning of visitors when Covid-19 crisis subsides. It will help Thai tourism industry takes a new direction as the country transforms into a quality destination with excellent safety and health standards. Consequently, Thailand would be on top of global travelers? destination list as always.