Earlier this year there were some indications that the Mauritius Tourism Ministry had plans to invoke a standardised rating system for the island’s hotels and resorts, much the same way the various nations of East Africa have done. Now, according to Minister for Tourism Michael Sik Yuen, that rating system has been completed and will be implemented in the very near future. In an announcement made earlier this week, Yeun laid out the criteria and how it will be applied across the board.
The impetus behind the move was to create a standardized system for hotel ratings, whether the subject is one of the many Mauritius family hotels, golf resorts, or romantic boutique hotels. The Ministry of Tourism, like its counterpart in so many other nations, is not pleased with the industry-standard “star” system. They feel that system is far too arbitrary and relies too heavily on the influence of some of the industry’s powerhouses. This new system they expect to be much more accurate and fair among all of the island’s hotels and resorts.
Right now the only question remaining is whether or not the criteria developed for Mauritius is in line with that used by Seychelles, the Maldives, and other Vanilla Island nations. Yuen gave no indication as such, but that doesn’t mean that’s not the case. If the criteria does match it would give a uniform standard all across the region which, according to experts, would be of great benefit to the tourism industry.
Critics of the plan are not only wary of whether or not standards will be the same, but also whether those trained to do the actual rating will be receiving the same type of training as their counterparts in other places like Seychelles. They claim that if training is not uniform then no amount of standardization will produce a rating system that is equally applied throughout. Government officials have not yet responded to the criticisms except to say that we’ll have to wait and see.
Regardless of the rating system, Mauritius still remains among the top destinations for British and French travellers. It provides a wonderfully relaxing holiday experience with outstanding weather, stunningly beautiful natural surroundings, a plethora of water sports, and lots of other advantages. There are three, four, and five star resorts for every budget and taste along with great dining options, shopping and nightlife, opportunities to enjoy nature, and of course, all the sun, sand, and surf one could desire.
Despite a continued shaky economy in Western Europe travel experts in Mauritius still expect the island to reach at least 980,000 arrivals this year. The Tourism Ministry’s original goal was 1 million arrivals; a goal that is still within reach if the strong numbers from the first quarter continue throughout the year. Even so, at 980,000 that would be an increase of more than 20,000 over the previous year. If you’ve never been to Mauritius, why not be among that increased number of arrivals?
