Ahead of the 2018 summer holiday season, Thanet District Council’s Tourism Service, has broadened the scope of accommodation it can promote to visitors.
It is also introducing a new Accommodation Charter for owners to sign up to.
The Tourism Service will promote accommodation which has been inspected by an agency or organisation such as Alistair Sawdays, Michelin, Good Hotel Guide or Airbnb Plus and various self-catering agencies. This will be in addition to the current practice of highlighting accommodation which has been inspected and received a quality grading through the National Quality Assessment Scheme or the Kent Accommodation Scheme.
For properties that have not received a quality grading or are not part of an agency or organisation that carries out its own inspections, the council’s Tourism Service has launched an Accommodation Charter. By signing up to the Charter, the accommodation owner commits to meeting a certain level of standards, including legal responsibilities, a good standard of service and cleanliness and policies in place for complaints and cancellations. While no physical checks will be carried out, once signed up to the Charter these properties can now be promoted by the Tourism Service.
Where venues have been inspected or have a quality grading, that accommodation will be top of the list, followed by those properties who have signed up to the new Accommodation Charter.
Councillor Jason Savage, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Corporate Governance and Coastal Development, Thanet District Council comments:
“Tourism in Thanet is worth £293 million to the local economy and the area has bucked the national trend for trips by rising 16%, despite visitors to England registering a 5% drop1. The new Accommodation Charter will bring the tourism service in line with other Kent districts already working with similar charters and enable more flexibility for the tourism service when searching for accommodation venues with availability for visitors wishing to come and stay in the area.
“With high speed rail links that bring Thanet within 75 minutes of London St Pancras it’s a popular weekend destination, to be able to promote a broader range of properties means more choice for all.”
The tourism service is keen to hear from local accommodation providers who would like further information on the new Accommodation Charter and the promotional opportunities this will open up to their businesses through Isle magazine, www.visitthanet.co.uk and the Visitor Information Service.
Contact the team on tourism@thanet.gov.uk or 01843 577577
1 Cambridge Model Economic Impact Study 2015.
