Background and Relevance
Puebla, a Mexican state known for its rich history and cultural heritage, has 1,219 hotels. Despite a requirement by the Secretaría de Turismo (Sectur) for hotels to obtain and maintain a star rating based on their services, only 40% of these establishments comply. This article explores the reasons behind this non-compliance, its impact on hotel quality, and efforts to improve the situation.
Current Situation
Gustavo Domínguez Gabián, president of the Asociación Poblana de Hoteles y Moteles (Puebla Hotel and Motel Association), acknowledged that hotels must renew their category every two years. However, Sectur has not conducted verification visits in six years, which may contribute to the low compliance rate.
Domínguez Gabián explained that hoteliers can opt-out of the rating system if they believe it’s not beneficial for their interests. This does not imply a decrease in service quality.
Prerequisites for Star Rating
Before seeking a star rating, hotels must obtain a Registro Nacional de Turismo (RNT) from the federal Tourism Secretariat. Once they have the RNT, hotels can then pursue a three-, four-, or five-star classification.
The Puebla State Tourism Secretariat is working to ensure all hotels acquire the RNT and subsequently receive a category rating.
Impact of Non-Compliance
Of the 1,219 hotels in Puebla, 390 operate independently of the Sectur rating system. Despite this, their occupancy rates average 45%, according to DataTur, the National Statistics System for Mexico’s Tourism Sector.
Puebla has 71 five-star hotels (3,750 rooms), 130 four-star hotels (7,000 rooms), and 259 three-star hotels (6,603 rooms). The majority of hotels fall under the three-star category.
Two-star hotels number 182 (2,690 rooms), while one-star hotels account for 187 (2,768 rooms). The 390 hotels without a rating have a combined total of 7,063 rooms.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the obligation for Puebla’s hotels? Hotels must obtain and maintain a star rating based on their services, as required by the Secretaría de Turismo (Sectur).
- Why is the compliance rate low? Hotels may not see the importance of maintaining a rating, and Sectur has not conducted verification visits in six years.
- What are the prerequisites for star ratings? Hotels must first acquire a Registro Nacional de Turismo (RNT) from the federal Tourism Secretariat before pursuing a star rating.
- How does non-compliance affect hotel services? Opting out of the rating system does not necessarily mean a decrease in service quality.
- What is the current distribution of star ratings in Puebla? The majority of Puebla’s hotels are three-star establishments, followed by four-star and five-star hotels.
