Client: DG GROW
Duration: 2019 – 2021
Consortium: Open Evidence (partner), VVA, TEAM tourism consulting
Methodology: Impact Assessment, Exploratory Study
Tools: Literature Review, Interviews, Focus Groups, Behavioural Experiments, Surveys, Workshop, Data Analysis
Fieldwork: EU27
Geographical scope: EU27
The overall objective of the study is to support the ongoing effort to bring consistency in the provision of quality accommodation services and improve comparability and transparency vis-à-vis consumers across the EU. First, the study substantiates the understanding of the existing public and private initiatives in the area of tourism accommodation quality classification such as hotel stars and rating schemes. Second, the study examines the impacts of existing public and private initiatives on the market and potential market failures. Third, the study examines the feasibility and added value as well as expected impacts of a number of policy options for potential policy actions, providing an evidence base for enhancing the effectiveness, comparability and communication capability of classification schemes of tourism accommodation services. Fourth, a multi-stakeholder platform is being established to facilitate and promote dialogue, the exchange of good practice and cooperation between relevant stakeholders to enhance transparency, comparability and coherence between consumer review and rating schemes. To address these objectives, multiple techniques and tools are used.