Mr Ayo Olowoporoku, the Group Managing Director, Hotel Support Group has tasked the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) on the imperative of grading, standardisation and classifications of hotels across the country.

Olowoporoku stated this in Lagos on Saturday that there were lots of substandard hotels in the country and that “classification will help to show which is where’’.

“Some people just build hotels for building sake, and do not follow the prerequisites.

“The quacks are abusing the profession and the industry, hotel management is a professional course that one needs to study before venturing into it.”

According to him, since it is a professional course, there is need for proper regulation so that those quacks can be dislodged.

He said that NTDC as the regulatory body in charge of grading, standardising and classification of hotels in Nigeria, should implement fully the policy of ensuring standardisation and classification of hotels across the country.

“NTDC has been saying it will soon start classification of hotels in the last few years but they are yet to do it.

“Some operators are contravening the law by charging prices arbitrarily and there is lack of price regulations and control,” he said.

Olowoporoku said that such attitude needed to be controlled and regulated, adding that the NTDC should undertake a survey of hotels to ascertain their standards.

“Any hotel that does not meet with the requirement needed for grading and classification should be advised to upgrade its facilities.

“Foreigners should also be mindful of the kind of hotels to stay. Hotels without sign posts should be shunned by visitors,” he said.

Olowoporoku advised that hotels that were successfully graded, standardised and classified to be registered and licensed with the NTDC.

According to him, the exercise if well done will help to properly advise clients and help to boost activities of the operators in the international market.