I. General Concepts 4. Quality and sustainability

Section 4.8: Standarts and Certifications

The certifications and quality seals relating to tourist activities respond to the need of customers and companies that require their appearance in order to recognize and differentiate the value possessed by each product.

For this reason, work is being carried out in different areas relating to the tourism sector on the creation of seals that ensure the improvement of services and products. Regional, national and European tourist organizations work jointly with their respective governments on the preparation of regulations and control measures for the development of quality marks.

Quality seals give service to customers and tourism companies:

• To customers, because they find that their expectations are fulfilled in the services chosen, with specialist professionals; moreover, they are allowed to participate in the continuous improvement of the service.
• To tourism companies, because this improves business management, increases employee training, obtains greater customer satisfaction, introduces processes of continuous improvement of the establishment and furthermore the mark can be utilized as an element of commercialization and promotion.

There are different bodies that work at the European and international level in the development of trademarks and certifications that may be applied to tourist services depending on the sector worked, such as: the Responsible Tourism Institute (RTI), the International Standard Organization (ISO), the certifier TÜV Rheinland or the Europarc Federation.

This work has brought about several quality systems, among which the following are of particular importance at European level:

• The ISO 9000 standards, which represent an international consensus regarding good practices and quality management.
• The Integral Sustainable Tourism (STI) seal that groups the certifications of the trademark "Öko-Proof-Betrieb", "Biosphere Hotels", ISO 14001 and EMAS, depending on the level of commitment acquired.
• The European Charter for Sustainable Tourism, whose objective is to promote the development of sustainable tourism in the protected natural areas of Europe.

When it is decided to implement a quality seal in a tourist activity, it is important and necessary to evaluate all those that can be developed in your area and in your business in order to establish the most suitable one with regard to the level of requirements involved and the level of knowledge of the consumers.

The specific case of Spain (This section must be adapted to the situation of each member country of the project)

In Spain, the Spanish Tourism Quality System (STQS) has been developed by the initiative of the business sector and has been supported from its beginning by the State Tourism Administration; it is focused on providing the businesses of the sector with a methodological tool that allows them to maintain and improve their competitive position. Its control is subsidiary to the Spanish Tourism Quality System (STQS) which is in charge of the certifications of the system.

The STQS has made possible the development of specific Quality Standards for each sector and situated at an intermediate level between the ISO 9000 and the European Model of Business Excellence (EFQM).

The Q Mark is the most visible element of the entire System, the generic name of which is 'Spanish Tourism Quality'; it is a mark common to any activity relating to tourist services or products, providing them with all the characteristics of the seals of tourism quality.

“The Q of Quality” has been developed to be established in mature tourism services such as: lodgings, travel agencies, restaurants, etc., but also in new sectors such as protected natural areas, time-share companies or municipal tourist services.

In 2011, there were more than 2,000 certified establishments in Spain. The Q has begun to be recognized internationally by operators and consumers.

Section 4.7: Handling Complaints

Section 4.9: Environmental Issues