Regulation C/REG.14/12/99 Relating to the Adoption of Standards for the Classification of Hotels, Motels and Guest Inns

Jurisdiction
African Regional Bodies · Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
Date
7 December 1999
Language
English
Type
Legislation
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Economic Community of West African States

Regulation C/REG.14/12/99 Relating to the Adoption of Standards for the Classification of Hotels, Motels and Guest Inns

The Council of Ministers,MINDFUL of Articles 10, 11 and 12 of the revised Treaty establishing the Council of Ministers and deferring its composition and functions;MINDFUL of Decision C/DEC.1/7/91 dated 3rd July, 1991 adopting the programme of activities for tourism;CONSIDERING the importance of tourism activities in the economy of each Member State;RECOGNISING the need to guarantee a uniform standard of accommodation as a means of encouraging and facilitating the joint promotion of tourism products in West Africa;RECOGNISING the need to coordinate tourism development activities in the Member States with a view to achieving the integration of this sector within the sub-­region;AWARE of the need to create and maintain a high standard for tourism in the sub-region and thereby boost the flow of tourists to the Member States;ON THE RECOMMENDATION of the fortieth meeting of the Trade, Customs, Immigration, Money and Payments Commission held in Lame from 22nd to 23rd November, 1999.ENACTS

Article 1

The standards for the classification of hotels, motels and guest inns annexed hereto are hereby adopted.

Article 2

The classification standards referred to in Article 1 above shall not be applicable to boarding houses, holiday resorts, camps and camping sites and rest houses, which shall continue to be governed by national law.

Article 3

Existing hotels and similar establishments, including those establishment which are presently still under construction, shall be given a deadline of 6 years within which to conform to the prescribed standards.

Article 4

There is hereby established in each Member State a Classifications Commission which shall be headed by the Minister for Tourism or his/her representative.

Article 5

The Classification Commission shall be composed of the desk officers of the ministries responsible for tourism and representatives of associations of professions including hoteliers, travel agents, restauranteurs and drinks retailers.

Article 6

All applications for classification shall be submitted to the Classifications Commission which shall classify as appropriate.

Article 7

Any classified establishment may be downgraded from its original category.

Article 8

An establishment may be downgraded for failure to conform to the standards prescribed for its category. It may equally be downgraded for failure to maintain its buildings and installations in good condition, and generally, when the establishment fails to provide satisfactory services and to keep up the necessary standard of moral conduct and professional competence.

Article 9

The downgrading of a classified establishment shall be carried out by a decision of the Minister for Tourism on the advice of the Commission provided in Article 4 above.

Article 10

i)A sub-regional Monitoring Committee shall be set up comprising the Chairman of the Classifications Committee of the country holding the current Chairmanship of ECOWAS, a representative of the ECOWAS National Unit of that country and a representative of the Executive Secretariat. The Committee shall be charged with carrying out an annual tour of inspection of the Member States to verify compliance with the prescribed hotel standards.
ii)The sub-region monitoring committee shall make recommendations on the classification of hotels, inns and motels. It is empowered to recommend downgrading.

Article 11

Approved establishments shall display a plaque bearing the ECOWAS logo and colours which shall be issued by the Minister for Tourism.

Article 12

The classification establishments shall fly the ECOWAS flag at their entrance.

Article 13

ECOWAS Member States and the Executive Secretariat shall be jointly and severally responsible for the implementation of this Regulation.

Article 14

This Regulation shall be published by the Executive Secretariat in the Official Journal of the Community within thirty (30) days of its signature by the Chairman off Council. It shall also be published in the National Gazette of each Member State within the same time-frame.
Done at Lomé, this 7th day of December, 1999.Abdoul Hamid S.B. DurodjayeChairman for Council.
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