cottages4u

TMI Conference
9th October 2012
Destination and the
National Quality
Rating Scheme
Pam Foden VisitEngland
Vicki Jowett
Quality in Tourism
Guildford High Street, Surrey
National picture
‘Assessed-only’
policies
VisitEngland Update
Survey of destinations September 2012
• 70 destinations responded to survey
• Mix of districts, counties and DMOs
• Majority still ‘assessed-only’ but with option of
local scheme alongside NQAS
• Growing interest in setting up local scheme
• State Aid concerns leading to change of policy
• Destinations want to be inclusive
• VisitEngland’s lead is influencing decisions
• Adoption of voluntary ‘Code of Conduct’ by some
NQAS and/or Locally Assessed
Dark Green – NQAS only
Pale Green – NQAS/local scheme
4
Pendle, Lancashire
5
Any Assessed and/or Recognised by Guides
Yellow – will promote
any non-assessed
business if recognised
by national guide book
6
Any Accommodation Provider (Non-Inspected)
Blue – will work with any
Accommodation business
7
Increase in Non-Inspected Policies
• 17% of all current assessed-only policies (including local schemes) are
considering changing to a non-inspected policy in the near future
• 37% of non-inspected policies have only been introduced recently
Current:
Projected:
NQAS Only
29%
32%
8%
31%
NQAS and/or Locally
Assessed
Any Assessed and/or
Recognised by
Guides
Any Accommodation
Provider
28%
40%
NQAS Only
NQAS and/or Locally
Assessed
Any Assessed and/or
Recognised by Guides
6%
26%
Any Accommodation
Provider
• If all those considering changing to non-inspected policies in the near future do
so, the percentage will rise from 29% to 40%
8
Increase in Non-Inspected Policies
Current:
Projected:
9
Local Schemes
No Local Scheme
Not Accredited by VE
Accredited by VE using Own Assessors
Accredited by VE using QIT Assessors
0
10
20
30
40
50
10
VisitEngland Update
Private sector – a different story
• Hoseasons (Cottages4U etc)
• Blue Chip
• Original Cottage Company (Marsdens, Freedom,
Suffolk Secrets & Norfolk Country Cottages)
• Premier Cottages
• Farm Stay
• Cumbrian Cottages
• Dream Cottages
(Slide of Cottages4u Home page)
(Slide of Cottages4U explanation page)
VisitEngland’s
‘Quality’ role
VisitEngland’s role
Guardian of the standards
‘Common Standards’ partner of SRG
Development of Entry Level scheme
Advisor on regulatory matters
Monitor quality assessment licence on behalf of
participants
• Business support & advice – online and Quality
Edge
• Support for destinations
•
•
•
•
•
Key changes 2012
• Industry panel – quarterly meetings
• Survey all participants after each annual visit
• On-going review of schemes with other assessing
bodies
• Regular benchmarking with tourist boards and
the AA
• Improper signage – support of retained Trading
Standards expert
Visit England Update
New licence for Quality in Tourism
• Quality in Tourism responsible for setting fees
• Focus on quality of reports & consistency of
scoring
• Assessors to review websites before each visit
• Assessors to offer business support if required
VisitEngland’s
Entry Level
scheme
Vicki Jowett Quality in
Tourism
Modernising the
schemes -
VisitEngland Update
VisitEngland’s moderation team
Team of five self-employed assessors
Monthly sample and review of written reports
Feedback on reports to Quality in Tourism
Monthly sample of visits for follow-up day or
overnight visit by moderator
• Joint training and benchmarking with Quality in
Tourism
• Support for VisitEngland with development of
schemes and standards
• Franchise agencies - moderation and training
•
•
•
•
VisitEngland participation
•
•
•
•
•
30,000+ including franchise schemes
Self-catering most buoyant
New scheme changes tough for hotels & B&Bs
Value of the VisitEngland marque
Popularity of Silver, Gold & Breakfast awards
Questions for destinations
Can you be confident:• all accommodation compliant with regulations?
• no ‘dodgy’ logos on their own websites?
• no misleading information/copy on websites?
How can you encourage quality?
• without an assessed-only policy
What about your visitors?
• Might they be misled? (self-awarded stars etc)
The context:
What changed in 2010?
Questions and discussion
Staffordshire Moorlands