Credibility Above all Else
- Philippe Bartholomew
- Oct 4
- 2 min read
The argument for why Forbes Travel Guide–style standards should be the national benchmark instead of the current Philippines Department of Tourism (DOT) star rating system — comes down to credibility, consistency, and fairness.
Objectivity & Transparency
Forbes uses a globally recognized, published checklist of over 900 criteria, with a heavy focus on service quality, consistency, and guest experience.
DOT’s Philippine Star Rating System is often vague, with broad categories open to interpretation — and therefore manipulation.
In some cases, DOT assessments are influenced by relationships, politics, or “special arrangements” rather than an impartial scoring system.
Qualified, Neutral Inspectors
Forbes inspectors are anonymous, trained hospitality professionals who stay as paying guests and rate without the property knowing.
DOT sometimes sends inexperienced or poorly trained evaluators, and in extreme cases, staff from competing hotels — a clear conflict of interest.
This not only damages trust in the ratings but can also lead to targeted penalties against certain hotels.
Focus on Guest Experience
Forbes prioritizes service and hospitality excellence (two-thirds of the score) over just facilities and amenities.
DOT tends to focus on ticking boxes for physical requirements (room size, TV type, number of outlets) — many of which don’t guarantee a better guest experience.
International Recognition
A Forbes star is recognized worldwide as a mark of luxury service.
A DOT 5-star is only meaningful locally — and even then, many travelers don’t trust it due to inconsistent auditing.
Adopting Forbes-level criteria could make the Philippines’ rating system internationally credible, boosting tourism competitiveness.
Removes Political & Commercial Bias
Forbes has no stake in the local hotel politics — every hotel is judged the same way, whether it’s an independent boutique or a major chain.
DOT’s system has been accused of favoritism:
Certain hotels get leniency despite obvious service gaps.
Others get penalized for minor infractions due to rivalry or personal agendas.
Raises the Bar for the Entire Industry
If Philippine hotels were judged to Forbes standards, service culture would have to improve across the board — training, attention to detail, and guest care would become non-negotiable.
DOT’s current system sometimes rewards “bare minimum compliance” rather than inspiring hotels to excel.
Switching to a Forbes-style national standard would make ratings fair, consistent, and globally respected — and it would end the embarrassing practice of letting competitor staff or unqualified inspectors determine a hotel’s official rating.
