Recently the Ministry for National Economy (NGM) responsible for tourism and the Hungarian Hotel and Restaurant Association (MSZÉSZ) have made great efforts in order to implement a classification system -- instead of the current mandatory classification of accommodations - which is in line with EU norms, competitive, can be operated in cooperation with relevant professional organizations and institutions, entrepreneur-friendly and which can promote market presence and sectoral communication

As a result of professional negotiations, Hungary joined the Hotel Superior Hotelstars.eu trademark, which has been operating already in EU countries with highly developed tourism sectors and which has been well known by tourists abroad.

From 1 July 2012 the classification of domestic hotels will be based on Hotelstars.eu as the national trademark for domestic accommodations. The classification system, in addition to containing operational requirements which are stipulated by regulation, is suitable for assessing the quality of accommodations on the basis of professional requirements, highlighting top quality services and it can thereby help consumers select, on the basis of available information, the service provider which best fits their expectations.

The underwriters of the Agreement, Mr. Kristóf Szatmáry, Minister of State for Economic Regulation, and President Ms. Andrea Kopócsy have both emphasized that the trademark will be jointly operated by the NGM and the MSZÉSZ, and the classification of services will be carried out via cooperation with the MSZÉSZ and on the grounds of a professional evaluation system elaborated within the framework of Hotelstars Union.

In the tendering process and the monitoring of trademark utilization the principles of professionalism, independence and neutrality will be applied. The utilization of the trademark is not compulsory, but getting it can provide significant market advantages. The legality of trademark utilization and the adherence to classification criteria will be guaranteed by control.

Mr. Kristóf Szatmáry has pointed out that national trademarks introduced at accommodations, such as the utilization of the Hotelstars system, is yet another sign of the commitment of the government to the tourism sector. This step will contribute – in addition to the unexpectedly positive achievements of the Széchenyi Recreation Card – to an increase in guest nights, increase of tourism revenues and improvement of the quality of domestic tourism.

Source: Ministry for National Economy - kormany.hu