Tuesday, in order to provide a quality tourism product and improve the image that is projected outside the country, the Ministry of Tourism (MDT) launched its classification program of tourist establishments in the city of Les Cayes. The first phase of this program will affect the hospitality industry before expanding gradually, to other sectors of the tourism industry and other parts of the country.

The Ministry of Tourism in its policy to bring tourists to Haiti, relies inter alia on the axis of the regulation of the sector which is an indicator referential. This program aims to improve the quality of services provided by the hotel facilities by encouraging the establishment of necessary structures corresponding to the international classification standards.

The Ministry intends sanction the operation of establishments inspected by the quality label "Hibiscus", depending on the quality of services provided. Hibiscus will replace the traditional star indicating the quality of hotels. In this new scheme, 5 hibiscus and 1 hibiscus will express respectively the maximum and minimum quality of tourist facilities.

For this purpose, 21 officers trained and authorized by the Ministry of Tourism, will inspect the Accommodation Centres in the region to assess their state of operation in accordance with the provisions of Articles 2, 5, 7 and 63 Decree of 21 April 1975 the law governing the matter.

Through this program, the Ministry also intends to support the private sector tourism operators in the country. Therefore, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) will benefit from guidance on how to improve their productivity gains by providing a better service.

HL/ HaitiLibre