Star rating system may lose government funding

First news reports suggested that John Penrose, Minister for Tourism, was scrapping the iconic star rating system used in the accreditation of hotels, B&Bs, guesthouses, holiday cottages and various other types of accommodation. VisitEngland was quick to point out that it intended to support the scheme so long as the industry wanted it but in order to ensure its continuance on a self-financing basis members' subscriptions may have to increase.

At the same time Mr Penrose was suggesting that TripAdvisor, the world's dominant travel website, can provide the information necessary for travellers to make up their minds about which accommodation to stay in.

On BedPosts internet forum the topics relating to the Star Rating scheme and TripAdvisor reviews have been the hottest going back over a 4 year period. As with Marmite there is an element of you love it or you hate it attitude to these institutions but broadly our members would not disagree with these statements about the Official Star Grading System:

• Since its introduction by the AA 108 years ago it needs modernising
• Too many ratings have drifted up to the higher grades
• There are inconsistencies in grading between similar establishments
• The annual inspection system does not allow for changes to be reflected between inspections
• Too much emphasis is placed on room enhancements with little regard to the requirements of the market place
• The Internet has arrived and the system does not embrace it
• It's too expensive

Can TripAdvisor take the place of the official system?

At BedPosts we think not; we say:

• Their star system is totally subjective and reviewers can award anywhere between 1 and 5 stars!
• This scheme did not take 108 years to get the bunching at the top!
• Accommodation providers can manipulate the system by asking friends and relatives to make reviews
• It is not even necessary to have stayed at an establishment to make a review
• TripAdvisor does not exist solely to inform travellers: its primary purpose is to drive traffic to some commercial booking agents with whom it is in business

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BedPosts suggests an alternative that may:

• Be online and use the Internet
• Be capable of representing the present situation as opposed to that 1 year ago
• Be objective
• Be consistent
• Take into account user experience
• Be inexpensive!

Mr Penrose further said “It's rather bizarre that the government is involved in rating hotels when, for example, there's no government rating scheme for cars or cornflakes; I'm not quite sure why hotels are so special.”

BedPosts thinks Mr Penrose has not taken into account the changing nature of the internet, nor the growing tendency for the general public to post reviews of products and the way that different, and mobile, devices link into it.

Of course one would not decide on a brand of car or cornflakes whilst walking down the high street using one's mobile phone but people increasingly do decide on their accommodation in this way. Mobile devices have small displays and a rating scale conveys a lot of information in a small space.

If you believe that the needs of the small to medium sized accommodation provider are not being fully recognised nor met by our Government Agencies and the major commercial companies then join BedPosts on www.bedposts.org.uk, read how grading may be done differently and take part in the debate. It's free!

Oh! And there are lots of discounted benefits and free advertising of your accommodation on www.bedposts.org.uk too.