El Caribe newspaper reports that Decree 818-03, dated 20 August, provides
for the creation of the Hotel Classification Committee. The new ruling replaces
the 1984 classification norms and will entrust the committee with the grading
of Dominican hotels in categories that range from one star up to five-star deluxe.
The committee is to be presided over by the Minister of Tourism. Other members
will include the president of the National Association of Hotels and Restaurants
(Asonahores) and the head of the Department of Business and Services of the Ministry
of Tourism.
The committee is also responsible for monitoring the fulfillment of price policies,
inspecting operating conditions of hotels, resolving claims, and assessing penalties
for non-fulfillment of regulations. The decree establishes conditions for city,
beach, mountain, apart-hotels, bungalows, cabañas and villa accommodation
categories.
The next step will be for the Ministry of Tourism to distribute forms to hotel
operators in order to gather information for the classification process.