Visitor Attraction Quality Schemes

There are two opportunities for visitor attractions to demonstrate their commitment to quality and providing an excellence visitor experience.

Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme (VAQAS)

VAQAS is the national accreditation for Visitor Attractions of all types and sizes, operated by VisitBritain.

It assesses all areas that impact on the quality of the visitor experience using objective quality benchmarks. It is a customer focused assessment and will identify current strengths as well as highlight areas for development and improvement.

The assessment is an annual visit at any time when the attraction is open to the public. The visit, by an experienced quality assurance assessor, is unannounced although one key contact at the attraction will be advised beforehand. The assessment is followed by a one to one debrief. The objective feedback is for consideration and is based on examples of best practice drawn from the attraction industry. Each visit is followed by an assessment report and, if successful, the accreditation of ‘Quality Assured Visitor Attraction'.

Attractions who recently achieved the VAQAS standard in Cumbria have found the process to be a useful management tool. For management and marketing benefits see www.vaqas.org.uk
Costs vary according to the annual visitor numbers. For more information and to download the current fee scale visit VAQAS

To register interest in attending the next VAQAS seminar in Cumbria or further information on the scheme please contact Alyson Rhind at Cumbria Tourism on 01539 825046 or email arhind@cumbriatourism.org

National Code of Practice for Visitor Attractions

The new Code of Practice provides an opportunity for all attractions to demonstrate their commitment to quality.

Benefits to the business are:

• It represents an agreed industry wide standard
• Commitment to the code entitles the business to benefit from tourism promotion initiatives by Visit Britain and, where appropriate, regional tourism bodies and local authorities.

Normally £25 the Code of Practice is FREE to all Cumbria Tourism Members. Contact Alyson Rhind for an application form 01539 825046 or email arhind@cumbriatourism.org