World Practices of Hotel Classification Systems

Abstract

Official hotel classification systems vary by country and often have different symbols (stars, diamonds, etc.) to distinguish between hotel categories, causing confusion not only for tourists but also the hospitality industry. Previous research has given prominence to European and American grading systems and less attention to other important tourist destinations of the world. Therefore, this paper aims to extend the range of investigated classification schemes to Asian countries as emerging tourist markets and to elucidate the differences between classification in Europe and Asia. Many studies have been reported about classification schemes in general, but less research has been engaged with comparing the different frameworks in detail. This work addresses this gap by comparing the structures and characteristics of these systems and giving concrete examples about Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, China and Japan. The results of a classification criteria analysis show the correspondence of these systems, assisting a better understanding of grading schemes in general. Thereby, this study is intended to support both academic and practical fields. Finally, future research directions and limitations are identified.