Statistics and Quality Standards

Quality Standards in Tourism Services

Objective

Objective: 

Improve the overall quality of products and services within the tourism industry (all tourism-related accommodation, restaurants, tour guides, tour operators, and other tourism-related service providers); raise the levels of demand nationally, regionally and internationally; promote competiveness within the industry; and, provide valuable and reliable information on quality standards for the tourist and the travel industry.

Objective:

Duration: 
Module 1: 1 month; Module 2: 3 months; Module 3: 6-12 months; Module 4-6: 12-18 months. All modules can be undertaken as one composite project which spans 12-18 months depending on the nature and scope of the project.

Indicative budget

Indicative budget: 
Module 1: € 15,000; Module 2: € 40,000; Module 3: Budget depends on duration and scope of the module; Module 4: Budget depends on duration and scope of the module

Target beneficiaries

Target beneficiaries: 

Outputs / deliverables

Classification system in place and information available to stakeholders in the sector. Capacities built among local inspectors to apply classification criteria.

Methodology: 

Overall strategy: evaluate the current tourism quality standards situation through initial negotiations with government officials and other key stakeholders of the national tourism industry; identify customers’ needs and expectations (stakeholders, environment, direction, facilities, resources, overall objectives, challenges); introduce available UNWTO quality products and services (modules); and, provide technical assistance as indicated in the modules below.

Module 1:  Review of Existing Criteria for Tourism-Related Accommodation 
• Review existing criteria for various facilities and services and evaluate these according to local, regional and global best practices and competitive environment
• Identify gaps and constraints
• Make appropriate recommendations on modifying and/or upgrading the existing criteria

Module 2: Establishment and Formulation of New Criteria
• Identify for which facilities/services/sectors criteria need to be established
• Formulate criteria in line with national/regional needs and considering  international industry practices and competitive environment
• Prepare initial criteria drafts
• Introduce criteria drafts to industry stakeholders
• Prepare final criteria and support the approval process

Module 3:  Implementation and Assessment of Criteria
• Establish assessment responsibilities and procedures (pre-post administration, on-site procedures, result reporting)
• Plan assessment/inspection tours
• Accompany national assessors/inspector visits on site
• Guide assessment findings and result definitions


Module 4: Capacity Building of National Criteria Assessors/Inspectors
• Evaluate assessor/inspector capacities, knowledge and expertise levels
• Identify gaps and constraints
• Make appropriate recommendations for most suitable capacity building methods (on-site, off-site)
• Introduce “UNWTO assessor certification” after successful attendance of respective capacity building sessions and/or on-site progress
• Compile and provide assessment supporting tools (knowledge and reference manual, photo library)
• Develop “Train the Trainer” programme

Module 5: Communication of Criteria
• Criteria launch press conference
• Industry workshops for key tourism stakeholders (accommodation sector, owners, investors, tour operators, transportation companies, tourism related service partners)
• Presentations to high schools, hotel and catering schools

Module 6: Criteria and Quality Control (Mystery Guest)
• Familiarization of criteria
• Define controlling tools and methods (check-lists, documentation, reports, use of technology, etc.) 
• Agree and establish control procedures (reservation, cost coverage)
• Plan time lines and execution