Grading and price in the accommodation sector of South Africa

Abstract

This article analyses the relationship between grading and price in the accommodation sector in South Africa. The literature review investigates whether the accommodation grading system is a good indicator of accommodation quality, and whether tourists get what they are paying for. The research was conducted in cooperation with the major role players in the accommodation sector in South Africa, namely the South African Tourism Service Association, the Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa and the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa. The results show a strong correlation between the grading of the accommodation and price. This confirms that managers also consider “stars” as symbols of the type of quality which they can use to communicate a “value for money” experience when tourists choose accommodation at a certain price.