The Uganda Tourism Board has embarked on classifying hotels, lodges and tented camps in a bid to improve standards and services in the hospitality industry.

According to UTB Head Public Relations Officer, Vincent Mugaba, more than 3 400 facilities in the country are expected to be classified in line with the East African Community hotel standardisation criteria.

Mugaba said hotels that had so far been classified included those from Kampala, Entebbe, Mukono, Mbarara, Kabale, Fort Portal, Gulu and Arua. “UTB’s hotel classification is under way, with a quality assurance team and hotel assessors currently rating facilities in Jinja and Mbale,” he said.

He said the classification would help improve accommodation facilities and guest services and that the rating would assist tourists with choosing a hotel.

After classification, hotels will have to display their ratings so that guests could confirm the standards.

“The days when a hotel falsely claimed to be a five-star and charge guests hefty rates are over,” Mugaba said.

In Kenya, the Tourism Regulatory Authority has so far classified hotels in Nyanza, Western, Coast and Rift Valley, while currently assessors are inspecting hotels in the Mount Kenya region.

Thereafter, TRA is expected to classify hotels in Nairobi and the Eastern region.

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