WHAT ARE TRAVELERS LOOKING FOR?

Are people purposely looking for the star rating first when looking online for accommodation?

Some of the review platforms and other sources show the star-rating but this is often provided by the property itself and not verified.

The star rating is -at most- an add-on to the information provided by reviewers.

Reviews from peers/other guests are considered more trustworthy.

Guests are increasingly looking for experiences, which can not be captured in stars but needs a description.

“Instagrammability” is more important than official ratings.

Reviews can not always be trusted as there continues to be fraud.

The motivation of reviewers differs, and the reviews are not necessarily a representation of the actual situation.

Posts from influencers can be helpful but the quality and trustworthiness greatly varies (product-placement/sponsored posts).

CAN BRANDS REPLACE THE RATING-SYSTEM?

Hotel brands/chains tend to have requirements which the property must comply with and these are verified and, depending on brand/chain, periodically audited.

Not all brands/chains are equally strict in accepting properties and auditing them after they have been branded.

The reliability of the brand as a quality guarantee depends on the brand/chain policies and their implementation and enforcement.

HOW GOOD & RELIABLE ARE RATING SYSTEMS IN AFRICA?

In many African countries these systems either

·      do not -really- exist

·      are not known to the general public

·      are not actually implemented

·      are not trusted or monitored

·      The rating-/classification systems that exist are not uniform or synchronized amongst the continent (nor world-wide).

Rating systems almost only focus on the availability of hardware and amenities, whilst quality service is not being rated.

The guest experience is up to a high extent determined by the quality of service.

CONCLUSION

Hotel Rating/classification systems in Africa currently have limited added value.

There is a real need for coordination and standardization given the lack of uniformity and -often- poor implementation.

Since many consumers are looking for “experiences” a simple rating will not be sufficient.

The consumers will need to spend time and effort to make a good judgment through the myriad of available information.

Brands can replace star-rating and reduce the need for extensive research depending on the brand reputation and possible previous experience of the consumer.

Safety/security, sustainability and hygiene are not yet structurally considered in these systems and platforms and these criteria which will become more important.