Christian de Barrin CEO HOTREC

1. Christian de Barrin CEO HOTREC

2. ABOUT THE HOTELSTARS UNION • 15 members: • Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland • 180 million inhabitants • 30.000 classified hotels until 2014 • www.hotelstars.eu

3. MEMBERSHIP • HOTREC-membership = pre-requisite • onlynation-widemembership,noregions • currentofficialobservers:France, Italy, • officialrequestsfrom countries worldwide

4. GOVERNANCE AND STRUCTURE • Managing Board (two members per country), Secretariat • One country – one vote • Unanimous decisions • Common criteria (>99%) • 270 harmonized criteria • 21 HOTREC-principles • Marketing, brand, IT • high quality standards • underthepatronageof HOTREC

5. HISTORY • 1994 Opposition to any harmonised system • Historical, cultural and geographical reasons • 2004 - 2009 change of position, adoption of common principles • Recognition of need for a harmonised system • Avoid top-down approach – do it ourselves • Work towards satisfying these needs of consumers, Tour operators and Travel Agents as well as of the European institutions • 2007 Corporation of Austria – Germany – Switzerland • Dec. 2009 Hotelstars Union under the patronage of HOTREC with 7 founding members

6. 7 FOUNDING MEMBERS IN 2009

7. DEVELOPMENT OF HOTEL CLASSIFICATION • Jan. 2010 New hotel classification system: first implentation • 2011 HSU-enlargement: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg • 2012 HSU-enlargement: Malta first South European country joining the common star classification • 2013 HSU-enlargement: Belgium, Denmark, Greece • 2014 Update of criteria catalogue for 2015-2019

8. A RECOGNISED CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM • European institutions recognise the huge work HOTREC and its members have undertaken to harmonise hotel classification in Europe • HOTREC Members provide full support to this industry driven approach • Together with the direct involvement of the guests and consumers across Europe a classification system can be developed to satisfy real market needs

9. HOW IT WORKS? FUNCTIONING AND RULES • Different types of systems in Hotelstars Union: • Mandatory (e.g. Lithuania) • Voluntary (e.g. Germany) • Privately run (e.g. Sweden, Switzerland) • State run (e.g. Malta, Belgium, Luxembourg) • Hotelstars Union classification system replaced the existing national system

10. SOME OF THE 21 COMMON PRINCIPLES • Compliance with legal requirements • Cleanliness and proper maintenance • TOs and TAs to be encouraged to use official classification • Number of stars from 1 to 5 • Regular and onsite controls • Possibility for hotels to appeal against classification decision

11. Official stars vs. non-official stars • Different meaning of stars • Not known which facilities and services to expect • Mix of objective and subjective elements in one • Criteria not transparent • Not always matching the official star category - confusion • Meaning of stars: what to expect in the hotel • Which infrastructure and services • An objective and verified evaluation of the offer • Transparent comparability of the offer across Europe under the Hotelstars Union • A brand especially for smaller hotels • Official objective hardware evaluation + verified subjective reviews – best solution

12. CRITERIA • Mix of mandatory and voluntary criteria • Avoiding mandatory architecture criteria Criteria in relation to: • Rooms, • Services offered, • Gastronomy, • Event facilities, • Quality management (complaint handling, guest reviews, etc.)

13. Structure of the steps in the system

14. • Reception opened 18 hours; 24 hours within call• Minibar or 24 hours room service• Bath robe and slippers on demand• Cosmetic mirror• Systematic client inquiry• Comfortable arm chair / couch• Laundry and ironing services• Hotel lobby, restaurant, hotel bar• Sewing service• “À la carte”-restaurant • Reception opened 24 hours, multilingual staff, concierge• 24 hours meals and drinks with room service• Suites• Internet-PC in the room, qualified IT-support service• Reception hall, hotel bar• Mystery guesting• Personalized guest welcome with flowers and/or sweets in the room• Laundry and ironing services within 12 hours, shoe polish service• Turndown service in the evening• Luggage service • All rooms with shower/ toilet in the room• Daily room cleaning• Expanded breakfast• A public telephone/ fax service available• Beverages available• Non-smoking area in the breakfast-room• Soap or body wash• All rooms have colour -TV• Deposit possibility • Breakfast buffet• Bath towels• Bath essences or shower gel• Seats according to number of beds• Reading light next to the bed• Cashless payment• Hygienic articles available• Linen shelves • Reception opened 12 hours; 24 hours within call• Luggage service• Beverages offered in rooms• Telephone in the room, internet access• Restaurant • Systematic complaint handling• Bilingual employees• Hair dryer, additional pillow on demand

15. A COMMON IDENTITY / SIGNS

16. REVISION OF THE HOTEL CLASSIFICATION

17. Guest needs are continously changing

18. Market research 2013 new Approach Let’s ask them directly

19. REVISED CRITERIA APPLICABLE FROM 2015 • five-years-term (now valid from 2010-2014) • Revision process for new criteria 2015 started in 2013 • With the help of Swiss University St. Gallen • Open online survey among European citizens • Study based on this survey

20. PROCESS • Revision process focused on following aspects: • Better sleeping comfort; • Better online visibility provided by hotel websites; • Better telecommunication opportunities also in lower category hotels; • Better food and beverages availability in all types of hotels; • Keeping with the pace of time • Test classifications in several countries • New criteria to be implemented contiuosly from 1 January 2015

21. MAKE YOUR OWN TEST • A free testing tool is available on www.hotelstars.eu • Check out how many stars you would get under the Hotelstars Union system!

22. BENEFITS FOR CUSTOMERS • Guiding stars for guests in the universe of offers • Possibility to know which infrastructure and services to be expected from a hotel • An objective and verified evaluation of the offer • Comparability of the offer across Europe under the Hotelstars Union • A brand especially for smaller hotels

23. For any further detailed questions, please contact the Hotelstars Union Secretariat: Contact: Klára Hájková AHR ČR Revoluční 13, Prague 1 hajkova@ahrcr.cz +420 773 236 890

24. Thank you for your attention!