Hotel classification: new star-signs to be introduced for eleven European countries:

(Limassol, 26 April 2012) At the HOTREC General Assembly in Limassol, Cyprus, the Hotelstars Union confirms its timetable for changes to the star-emblems

The member states of the Hotelstars Union (HSU) – founded at the end of 2009 and being the largest common platform for hotel classification within Europe – are now taking the next step in the process of aligning their systems. With immediate effect, the classification-signs that until now differed from country to country will gradually be harmonised with the hotel stars awarded. Both Sweden and the Baltic are making the start at the beginning of May. Germany will follow soon.

Back in July 2011, the Managing Board of the HSU in Vienna decided on the future common layout. For Klaus Ennemoser, this year’s HSU chairman, and president of the Austrian Professional Hotel Association at the Chamber of Commerce, the advantages are clear: “After the successful harmonization of the hotel classification systems in, by now, eleven European countries, the unification of the signs has become absolutely necessary. It is the only way guests and hoteliers can recognize that HSU hotel stars stand for a successful brand in Europe.”

Amongst other things, the new signs integrate the valid stars category with the emblem of the awarding hotel association and the HSU logo on a blue background. Aside from Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland, who were the founding countries, the following also belong to the HSU: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Luxembourg. The European trade association HOTREC – an umbrella organisation for hotels, restaurants and cafés – has taken over the patronage. HSU is open to all HOTREC member countries. In all, 43 national associations from 26 European countries belong to the HOTREC umbrella organisation.

Inquiries:
Václav Stárek, Asociace hotelů a restaurací České republiky

GSM: +420 602 765 632,  e-mail: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

AHR ČR in cooperation with CzechTourism held the workshop on 17^th May 2011. This workshop was based on the suggestions of Prague CHapters working group and its aim was to highlight the increasing share of the indirect online reservations. You can find the video here:

Část 1:

Část 2:

Část 3:

Zurich, 13 May 2011 – On the occasion of its 62nd General Assembly held in Zurich on
12-13 May 2011, the trade association of hotels, restaurants and cafés in the European
Union (HOTREC*) expressed caution about proposals discussed in the International
Standardisation Organisation (ISO) to standardise the quality and service offered in
hotels worldwide.

Zurich, 13 May 2011 – On the occasion of its 62nd General Assembly held in Zurich on 12-13 May 2011, the trade association of hotels, restaurants and cafés in the European Union (HOTREC) welcomed four new members representing the interest of the hospitality industry in Cyprus, Luxemburg and Turkey.

This week we held the meeting with Mr. Guillaume Thevenot, representative of TripAdvisor. I enclosed the presentation you had the opportunity to see.

(Prague, 14 December 2009) An important step was taken today towards harmonised hotelstars in Europe: the hotel associations from Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland created the "Hotelstars Union".

"Together to the stars!" This is not a statement made by astronauts, but a reality that starts off a new stage of co-operation between associations representing the hotel and gastronomy industry around Europe. At the same time, it is a new form of communication with the customer, which, in a clear and transparent way, makes the customer's orientation easier when selecting a hotel or a boarding house in altogether four European countries.

In spite of the fact that, in contradiction to the year 2008, the 2^nd quarter of this year has been endowed with the Easter holiday, the falling numbers of the guests and their overnight stays have continued. The number of overnight stays has attained 8.8 million, which has been the least of all the second quarters since the year 2000, and it has shrunk overall by 8.6 % on a year-to-year basis, more specifically by 10.1 % as far as the foreign visitors are concerned and by 6.9 % as concerns the local ones. The overall usage of hotels and boarding houses has weakened by 3.3 percentage points, reaching a value of 41.1 %.

According to the research made by the Czech Association of Hotels and Restaurants, this year's tourist season has so far ranked among the weakest ones in the last ten years. An ideal opportunity for both the local and the foreign tourist to visit the Czech Republic. Available capacities exceed the demand, hotels are offering favourable rates.

The Czech Association of Hotels and Restaurants (AHR CR) welcomes the success achieved by Mr. Miroslav Kalousek, Czech Minister of Finance, in enforcing the reduced VAT rates for the restaurant services in terms of all the EU member countries.