In a bid to increase transparency between businesses and their customers in the tourism industry, the government has issued a directive regulating the use of service fees.
The new directive stipulates that hotels, guesthouses and restaurants that charge clients a service fee must possess a valid business license and a certificate of quality issued by the Ministry of Tourism.
Businesses that charge the fee will also be required to join the Good Hospitality Competition, an initiative of the Ministry of Tourism that allows customers to rate the services of businesses in the tourism industry. By partaking in the competition, businesses agreed to be rated by their clients.
Kim Sereiroath, director of the Department of Management of Hospitality Services, told Khmer Times yesterday that the directive aims to ensure that the amount charged in the service fee is justified by the quality of the service that is being provided.
“We issued this directive to enhance transparency between the service providers and the customers,” Mr Sereiroath said. “Now customers that are forced to pay a service fee will be guaranteed a good service.”
Ho Vandy, secretary- general of the Cambodia National Tourism Alliance, said the new regulation will strengthen the quality of services in the local tourism industry.
“Before, we had many restaurants charging service fees that did not correspond to the level of quality that was being provided. With this new directive, tourists can now rest assured that the service charges they are being asked to pay are justified by the quality of the service they are receiving,” Mr Handy said.
