New system to monitor hotels

Manama : A new electronic system, which was launched yesterday to regulate and monitor the hospitality sector, will become operational from Sunday.

The Electronic Tourism Statistics System, launched as per Resolution 154 of 2017 issued by Industry, Commerce and Tourism Minister Zayid Al Zayani, will monitor and provide information about tourism establishments. 

The system will process information about the revenue of establishments, income from food and beverages outlets, the average one-night-stay prices and the age of guests, categorised among adults and children.

The system will also monitor and document the numbers and nationalities of guests in each hotel and their average stay period as well as additional information required by the Facilities and Services Directorate in Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority (BTEA).

Although the resolution was issued on August 7 this year, it was only published in the Official Gazette yesterday and will come into effect on Sunday.

The third and fourth articles of the resolution stipulated that tourism establishments, as per their compliance with the provisions of Resolution 12 of 2010 with regards to the specification of hotel services, are required to provide an electronic system to be linked with the new system.

The articles mentioned that this would be one of the requirements to issue and renew permits to operate tourism businesses.

“The tourism establishments should adhere to this resolution and rectify its situations so it would comply with its provisions within six months of the issuance date,” the fourth article of the resolution read.

The implementation of the new resolution was tasked to BTEA CEO Shaikh Khalid bin Humood Al Khalifa.