When did Ukrainian hotels stop receiving star certificates?
There was a change in the structure of government that deals with this system. Initially, the Ministry of Economy was engaged in it, then it was transferred to the Ministry of Culture. Then a state agency (DART) was created. It was the end of 2019. In fact, since that time, the classification system no longer worked. No longer receiving certificates. And until today, the process has not been launched.
The process is hampered only by the absence of an organ that will deal with stardom?
The current DSTU 4269 continues to operate, it has not been canceled. The commission was created, all these procedures were published, certain regulatory issues related to the actions of the state body were passed. People are assigned. Therefore, the question of when the commission will meet depends on those who are responsible for this process.
How many hotels are now waiting for the commission to earn to retrain and receive a certificate of stardom?
There is a segment of hotels that operates in gambling, which has these territories or is ready to be created for them. But this is not the whole market. It's just that many do not even apply for these stars, because they do not see any need for this yet. I know that up to a hundred hotels have applied for stardom and have not yet been able to get them. When the commission is earned, these applications will go to work.
You were among those who developed the new hotel classification system. How does it differ from the old DSTU?
The new system is ahead of the curve. This is not just copying a system or creating, tuning what was. This is a system of changing approaches to hospitality in general in conjunction and harmonization with international classification systems. For our market to be familiar to the international travel community. So that we are equally assessed, according to similar criteria. But the Ukrainian hotel market has its material and technical base, which has an advantage thanks to the same strict DSTU 4269. It is quite strict to the current situation in the world. We have this rigor and the availability of various resources in the form of generators, in the form of some kind of engineering systems, which are not at all obligatory in the European classification systems - they were already obligatory for everyone. This creates a definite advantage in the material and technical base of the Ukrainian market to the external market.
When can the new hotel classification system start working in Ukraine?
We recently had a meeting with an expert group that was developing a classification system together with representatives of the state agency, the Ministry of Culture, and deputies. We also discussed this issue. The classification system that was developed and proposed by the market, in principle, is taken as a basis. There are several points on specific criteria that need to be agreed upon to have the same understanding. And then there will be a public comment procedure. The draft document will be published on the official websites, and it will be possible to give feedback on it. This is a new system. We are talking about the fact that now no one is holding back certification. There is a standard, there is a commission, there are no breaks in this process. And there is a new system that is more modern and progressive. Which will allow the hotel market to develop more dynamically, and be understandable for the Ukrainian tourist, and, of course, for the international guests, on whom we all count. Therefore, it is optimistic that this system will be implemented at the state level within two or three months. We will agree on these points, the system will go through a public discussion procedure, then there will be regulatory procedures for about a month. And then you need to set aside a period for the hotels to adapt and be able to be replenished, relatively speaking, and to synchronize their watches after the new system is approved. The auditors who will check all this should be trained already on the new system. This is a long-term process, so we understand that the new system will not start working until 2022. It is desirable, of course, from January 1. But you can work with the old system.
Will the hotels retrain now according to the old DSTU, or will they wait for the introduction of the new system?
For hotels that are interested in getting stars, there is no point in delaying now. There is an operating procedure, but it can be adapted in parallel. What I can recommend is to take the current DSTU and take a new classification system and conduct a self-assessment. And then an assessment with certification experts. To immediately be able to catch up with the new future system.
Interview especially for gamingpost.net
The gambling portal gamingpost.net monitors the process of legalization of gambling in Ukraine. Read the latest news: Get a license and do not work. How to deal with certification - legal advice
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