DAMMAM: Owners of hotels and furnished flats who charged more than officially approved rental rates during the Eid season must refund the differences between what they charged and what was allowed, an official said. Inspectors from the Commission for Tourism and Antiquities in the Eastern Province ensured that most people charged the officially approved rates, but some people did not and they must pay back the excess, said Abdullah Al-Qahtani, chairman of the Tourism Sector at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the Eastern Province. He said the organization's system classified the flats and hotels according to the quality of their facilities and services. Some investors in furnished flats have expressed reservations about the classifications because they used to charge visitors for classes their buildings did not meet, but the classification system addressed the problem and ended the chaos. He said fixed rates for furnished flats and hotels are fair for owners and visitors. Al-Qahtani said the accredited classification system has had another positive impact on the region's tourism sector because it has encouraged owners of low-classified hotels and furnished flats to upgrade their services and improve their facilities so they can compete with higher-level places to stay.
