Ministry of Tourism has streamlined the Hotel classification guidelines to make them simple, transparent and time bound. The application for classification and payments of fees have been made through digital platform only and the prevalent options of application by post and payment of fees by Demand Draft has been done away with. This has ensured the eradication of possibility of delay/manipulation caused by human interference.

Similarly, the time limit for ensuring compliances on deficiencies of a hotel, the prevalent system had an open ended scope without any prescribed time limit. The recent amendments have included a time limit of three months, thus removing any discretion in the matter. This will ensure a time bound compliance and speedy disposal of cases.

The amendments have made it clear that liquor shops/liquor stores in the premises of the hotel other than bars will not be considered for classification under star hotels “with alcohol” category, to remove any ambiguity.

It has been made mandatory for all the hotels classified under all categories to display their classification status prominently at the reception and on their websites under a separate icon on the opening page, which will display the order of classification issued by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.

The amendments have included a detailed timeline within which the classification has to be completed. In every case where the required documents and procedures are fulfilled, the classification will be completed within 90 days. Event wise time limits (like inspection, uploading inspection report, submission of compliance in case of deficiencies, approval of Competent Authority and uploading of classification letter etc.) have been fixed to ensure that all the cases with no deficiency /compliance issues can be classified within 90 days of the date of application.