The quality of UKhotels was raised during the first ever Government Tourism Summit held last week, which aimed to tackle issues affecting tourism in the UK.
An English Tourism Council spokeswoman said:”Hotel quality in this country is an issue.”
Tourism minister Janet Anderson said: “Accommodation is frequently the most expensive cost on a holiday or business trip. It is vital that people know what standards to expect and how much services will cost when they book.”
Other recommendations included the introduction of sample charges for telephone calls to be displayed in hotel rooms so guests are aware of what they are paying for. Training and handling customer complaints as well as a clearer representation of single supplement charges were addressed, as were policy updates on cancellations in hotels and guesthouses .
“It is beyond doubt that the current price display regulations need updating to take account of modern ways of booking, such as e-mail and the Internet,” said Anderson.
Those who took part in the summit included Chris Smith, secretary of state for culture, media and sport; Alan Britten, chairman of the English Tourism Council; and Lord Haskins, chair of the Government’s Better Regulation Task Force.