Dubai: The Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) said on Wednesday its new hotel classification will be implemented from this year-end. Hospitality properties will continue to be rated on the scale of one to five stars, but new categories have been added to highlight their uniqueness, a statement said. The new categories include business, beach, desert and heritage properties. The new ratings will replace the system that has been in place for the past 12 years.
Majid Al Marri, Director of Classification at DTCM’s Licensing and Classification Division, said the new system has been in the works for the past three years and will pave the way for qualitative changes in the hospitality product offerings and enhance service standards.
Under the new ratings, five-star hotels will have three categories - platinum, gold and silver. The selection criteria for other hotels categories, ranging from four to one star, have also been overhauled.
Hotel apartments will now be rated in three categories instead of two – basic, standard and deluxe. There will be no changes in guest house classification.
DTCM has, through its industry consultative committees and other channels, sought stakeholders’ views and feedback in the run-up to the finalisation of the new classification. It has taken into consideration industry trends and classification in several countries, including Australia, Spain, South Africa and the US.
Dubai has 540 hotels - 352 hotels and 188 hotel apartments - with 61,182 rooms and furnished flats. The number of properties is projected to go up by seven per cent by this year-end; while the number of rooms and furnished flats will see a 30 per cent increase.
The emirate received close to seven million visitors in 2009. Tourism has become one of the main income generators for Dubai, accounting for 30 per cent of GDP indirectly.
Dubai has 52 five-star hotels with a room inventory of 16,693, while 59 four-star hotels offer 10,817 rooms. There are 6,975 rooms in 55 three-star hotels, 3,807 rooms in 44 two-star hotels and 4,719 rooms in 126 one-star hotels.
