Enhancing the Applicability of Hotel Uniform Accounting in Hong Kong

The Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI) sets the accounting standards for the industry by providing detailed guidance for categorizing, organizing, and presenting financial information. In order to keep up with the dynamic hotel business environment and corresponding needs for modifying the reporting format, the USALI is regularly updated every five to ten years. This study investigated hotel management's satisfaction with the details (line items) in the Rooms departmental schedule of the latest edition of the USALI in Hong Kong and sought for modification options to enhance its applicability in local hotels. Industry professionals' opinions were collected from in-depth interviews with seven Rooms Division Managers and 14 financial controllers as well as one focus group interview with 10 committee members of the Hotel Controllers & Accountants Association of Hong Kong. The findings contribute significantly towards fine-tuning hotel performance reporting.