Above: Haiti Tourism Minister Stephanie Villedrouin

By the Caribbean Journal staff

Haiti has launched a new initiative aimed at grading tourism establishments in the country.

The “Hibiscus” classification scheme is named after Haiti’s national flower and the logo of its rebranded tourism campaign.

It will first launch in the southern region, before expanding to other areas of the country.

The first phase of the programme will affect the hospitality industry, eventually covering a wider range of businesses in the tourism sector.

The “Hibiscus” label will replace the traditional star system indicating hotel quality, the Ministry said in a statement, with five hibiscuses the maximum and one the minimum.

A group of 21 trained officers will begin inspecting hotels and inns in the southern region to assess their “state of operation.”