INDIA Hotels across India must enhance security measures or risk losing a star or two under official Department of Tourism guidelines, a regional tourism director warns.
Properties with an official rating of three stars or above are required to implement stricter security standards passed in the wake of the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai. Srivats Sanjay, regional director of India tourism, says the agency will begin penalizing hotels that fail to meet the guidelines.
“Safety of guests should figure on the priority list of hotels that wish to retain their star classification, as security is of prime importance,” Sanjay tells The Times of India. “The rule is for hotels across the country, and they have been given a year to beef up security.”
India’s Department of Tourism does not require hotels to submit to the official ratings system. Hotels that do participate in the program are inspected for classification every five years.