Saudi- Undercover guests to evaluate hotels, furnished apartments

(MENAFN- Arab News) The Saudi General Commission for Tourism and Antiquities will send undercover guests to hotels and furnished apartments to monitor prices and evaluate services. The "guest" will live in the hotels and apartments, evaluate services and write a report for the commission. Omar Al-Mubarak, director of the Licensing Department at the General Authority for Tourism and Antiquities, told Al-Eqtisadiah: "The undercover agent will write a comprehensive and detailed report about the tourist facility services. The report will evaluate e-bookings through the facility's website or phone bookings and the level of reception staff service and treatment of the tourist." The "guest" will also monitor dealings between the hotel staff and its administration with guests. The evaluation will cover all aspects of the hospitality industry and the findings will be used to classify tourist facilities and fix tariffs, he said. The project will take into consideration the status of the hotel industry since some hotels had not achieved specific standards. "The 'secret guest project' will be implemented in four and five star hotels," he said. He said promoters committed to implementing the ideals of the tourism sector play a major role in promoting hospitality industry. "Investors in this area of business are getting aware of the importance of maintaining relations with government agencies as also with guests using their services," he said. Stating that some facilities did not follow rules and regulations despite being given several opportunities to rectify, Al-Mubarak said: "This forced the commission to impose maximum sanctions against them including closure of the facility." The commission and related agencies are involved in correcting the status of the tourism sector, improving its services, and protecting the rights of users by offering services expected from the facility, in return for their money. The commission expects investors to respond to customers' expectations which strengthens the tourism sector in general, and the hotel industry in particular. Al-Mubarak said that since tourist accommodation was under the purview of the commission, it began classifying services of the sector's facilities, including hotels and furnished apartments. Classifications took into account the needs of guests and service users. He stressed that classification is the basis for determining the level of services and that prices are reflected according to these classifications.