Tourism Grading Council In A Nutshell

1. The Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA) is the only officially recognized organization that authorizes accommodation establishments to display Quality Stars.

2. Operating as one of the business units of South African Tourism (SAT), the TGCSA ensures the standard of quality of accommodation and conference venues, throughout South Africa through its stated vision: ‘To establish a recognisable and credible globally benchmarked system of quality assurance for accommodation and MESE (Meetings, Exhibitions and Special Events) experiences, which can be relied upon by visitors when making their choice of establishment’

3. This is achieved by literally “putting the stars where they belong”. The TGCSA provides a rigorous framework and process for the quality assurance that is continuously sought after by tourism products seeking to showcase their products in this vibrant industry which contributes to an increase in consumer confidence, thus ensuring the country’s international competiveness as a tourism destination of choice.

4. There are currently, over 7000 graded establishments; with an average of 150 NEW establishments joining the grading system every month.

5. The Awards Sub Committee appointed directly by the Minister of Tourism, following a public nomination process, oversees the awarding of One to Five Stars Grading Status to various establishments within the nine categories which include Hotels, Guesthouses, Country Houses, Bed & Breakfast, Lodges, Caravan & Camping, Self Catering, Back Packers and Hostelling as well as MESE.

6. The Process of getting graded is as follows:

a. Visit the TGCSA website www.tourismgrading.co.za

b. Read the minimum requirements and grading criteria and decide which of the 9 categories your establishment falls under (hotel, B&B, Guest House, etc).

c. Decide which quality star level your establishment fits (One to Five Star).

d. Fill in the online application form and choose an Assessor that operates in your province.

e. You will then receive an invoice from the TGCSA, which has to be paid BEFORE an Assessor comes to visit.

f. Your chosen Assessor will contact you to arrange a suitable time to visit your property and conduct the assessment.

g. The Assessor will then submit his motivation (for the particular Star grade he is recommending for your property) to the TGCSA, monthly Awards Committee Meeting for approval.

h. Once approved by the committee, you will receive a full report on your grading assessment as well as various correspondence welcoming you to the TGCSA family.

i. You will receive a certificate which needs to be prominently displayed in the reception area of your establishment.

j. You will receive a plaque denoting your Star grading status which also needs to be prominently displayed around the entrance of your establishment.

k. You are now ready to market yourself as a Star Graded Property!

7. This Grading Status must be renewed annually following a reassessment by a TGCSA Accredited Grading Assessor.

8. Should an establishment choose not to get renewed, they will have to remove all marketing material that refers to Stars as the TGCSA has the trademark rights to this.

9. The TGCSA has its offices in Sandton, Johannesburg and is headed up by Chief Quality Assurance Officer, Ms Thembi Kunene.

10. The chairman of the TGCSA is Mr Peter Bacon who has been appointed by the Minister of Tourism, together with the 9 other members of the Awards Committee.

11. Contact the Tourism Grading Council at: Tel: +27 11 895 3000 or visit www.tourismgrading.co.za