SIBU: Operators of budget hotels here risk having their licence revoked should they score below 40 marks in the cleanliness assessment to be carried out by Sibu Municipal Council soon.

Sarawak Central Region Hotel Association chairman Johnny Wong Sie Lee said yesterday that their licence could not be renewed until they showed marked improvement in their assessment.

“It is therefore imperative that members take this exercise seriously by making extra efforts to ensure they fulfil the marking criteria as stipulated in the evaluation form,” Wong told a press conference here.

The first of the two-round biennial assessment would start in July covering areas such as building safety and guest security, cleanliness and hygiene, facilities and services, bedroom requirements, and staff.

“Cleanliness and hygiene standard in hotels are most important,” Wong said, adding that together with the facilities and services, they formed 45 per cent of the overall mark of the assessment.

Citing an example, he said bedsheets, floors, bathrooms, and toilets must be kept clean at all times. Among others, adequate dustbins must be placed at appropriate locations.

Health awareness message such as ‘NO SMOKING’ sign must also be properly displayed.

Wong said members could place more greenery in their premises as this would also carry some marks, thus, helping them score in their assessment.

Still on the assessment criteria, Wong said officers from Fire and Rescue Services Department would sit on the panel of judges this year.

He thus urged members to ensure that all their fire fighting equipment were in good working condition.

Nine-room hotels must be equipped with portable fire extinguishers and 25-room hotels must have smoke detectors and also fire extinguishers.

Visitors, according to Wong, preferred to stay in a clean and hygienic hotel especially now with worries over influenza A(H1N1).

Asked about the marking system, he said starting this year, outstanding budget hotels would be presented with trophy and certificates. The usual practice was to rate them A, B, or C.

The second round of evaluation meanwhile will start in October and the results to be known by yearend.

There are 47 budget hotels registered with the association here.

Fifteen others which are are not members will be evaluated by the council while star hotels are rated by the Ministry of Tourism.