Through the dedication and hard work of Mr Valli Moosa, Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism at the time, the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA) was established in the year 2000. Operating as a business unit of South African Tourism, the TGCSA is still the only recognised and globally credible quality assurance body for tourism products in South Africa, which is greatly relied upon on to this day. All this means is that when it comes to globally recognisable grading, we really are the one and only.  

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We maintain this title by committing to our motto, which is “To establish a recognisable and credible globally benchmarked system of quality assurance for accommodation and MESE (Meetings, Exhibitions and Special Events) experiences, which can be fully relied upon by visitors when choosing an establishment.”

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You can be sure to spot our Graded Stars that proudly bear the colours of our national flag, almost everywhere in South Africa. Thousands of accommodation institutions and MESE establishments have earned their TGCSA Stars and have maintained high standards of quality in order to keep them. Granting stars where they rightly belong gives us great satisfaction.

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Of the nine main types of establishments that travellers can choose from – namely Hotels, Lodges, Bed & Breakfasts, Country Houses, Guest Houses, Self Catering Units, Caravan & Camping Parks, Backpackers & Hostelling facilities as well as Meetings, Exhibitions and Special Events (MESE) venues – those establishments that have been graded by one of our Accredited Grading Assessors will clearly display the TGCSA Star insignia. Simply put, if it bears our TGCSA star plaque and certificate, you can expect outstanding quality and service excellence.

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The quickest way to tell if an establishment is TGCSA approved or not, is to click on this website’s “Search Graded Establishments” tab and enter the full name of the Hotel, B&B, Guest House etc. If it’s not listed here – it’s not (yet) a TGCSA approved establishment.

As much as the TGCSA promotes Star Grading, it would truly benefit South Africa as a nation if everyone in the Travel and Tourism industry followed suit. In doing so, the highest level of quality assurance, the best possible value for money and an important focus on customer expectation will be enjoyed by all.

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South Africa is a beautiful tourist destination, so let’s give it all the worldwide recognition it deserves.