Over the last several years, the Provincial tourism industry has intensified its efforts to ensure consistent accommodation information for travellers and good feedback mechanisms for those providing the services. This effort has been aided by the adoption of the new national accommodation rating system called the Canada Select Accommodations Rating Program. This Program assesses and rates facilities to ensure that they meet or exceed consumer expectation and satisfaction.

Canada Select was launched in 1992 following extensive consumer research to design an accommodation grading criteria. Within the various categories of accommodations identified by the Program, properties are assessed for the extent and quality of their facilities and are awarded a star rating between 1 and 5, as well as ½ stars where applicable (see insert). Ratings are produced for categories such as inns, bed & breakfasts; hotels, motels; and resorts, cottages, and cabins. Support for the program has grown across the Country. Today, the number of participating provinces has increased from six to nine.

The Newfoundland and Labrador tourism industry has been involved with Canada Select since the Program's inception. In the last several years, the number of accommodation facilities operating in the Province, especially bed and breakfasts, has grown considerably. This expansion has heightened the need for solid management and quality assurance by the industry. In 1995, over 400 facilities were graded in the Province, with the majority falling within the 2 to 2½ star range. To put the ratings in perspective, 2 to 3 star facilities generally meet the bulk of accommodation demand in the Country. Five star facilities usually include luxury hotels in large cities such as Montreal or Edmonton where sufficient upscale demand warrants investment in, and provision of, such facilities.

Each property graded has the option of requesting an assessment to determine the improvements necessary to raise its rating. This feedback has proven helpful and many properties have been upgraded over the last couple of years. In fact, since the introduction of the Program, there has been a steady increase in the number of establishments garnering higher ratings. The accompanying chart illustrates that since the Program started in 1992, the proportion of facilities scoring higher ratings has risen dramatically. This trend is expected to continue. For example, when the Glynmill Inn in Corner Brook (opposite page) recently underwent renovations, the improvements were guided by the Canada Select criteria. Subsequent to the renovations, the Inn's rating was upgraded to 3 stars.

Newfoundland and Labrador was the first province in the Country to tie the rating system into licensing. Beginning in 1995, licensed accommodation facilities operating in the Province must have received at least one star. This measure was designed to ensure that licensed establishments meet minimum standards. Information on facilities operating in the Province together with star grades are printed each year at the owner's discretion in the Province's Travel Guide.

Canada Select is a relatively new program in the Province which is gaining widespread support. The Program provides solid market information to accommodation owners and offers guidance to the travelling public in choosing accommodations. Over the short period the Program has been in place, many operators have used its feedback to enhance their facilities and improve their ratings. Efforts to market Canada Select will continue this year and further consumer research will see an expanded accommodation classification system with improved grading criteria introduced. Through early implementation of this initiative, the Newfoundland and Labrador accommodation sector has demonstrated its commitment to service quality on a scale comparable to any other destination in Canada.