Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme

The Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme

Arundel Castle

Arundel Castle

Be a part of the Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance SchemeThe Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme (VAQAS) is managed by VisitEngland, the national tourist board. Through its network of regional assessors VAQAS maintains an incredible reputation for instigating, modifying and shaping change to the customer experience at visitor attractions across England.

VAQAS is a process designed to support and help. Assessors never impose or dictate to you, the operator, how to run your business, rather they provide you with an independent assessment that offers clear guidance for you to adapt to suit your individual needs. This business support tool is used by wide ranging attraction sectors. The feedback is consistently strong as the quotes within this leaflet demonstrate.

Sectors covered by VAQAS include:

• Castles

• Churches and Cathedrals

• Country Parks/Estates

• Farm Based Attractions

• Gardens

• Historic Houses

• Industrial/Craft Premises

• Interpretation/Visitor Centre

• Monuments

• Museums and Galleries

• Nature Reserves

• Theme Parks

• Transport

• Wildlife Centres/Zoos/ Safari Parks

A visitor attraction is defined as:

“ A permanently established excursion destination, a primary purpose of which is to allow public access for entertainment, interest or education and can include places of worship; rather than being primarily a retail outlet or a venue for sporting, theatrical, or film performances. It must be open to the public, for published periods of the year, and should be capable of attracting day visitors or tourists, as well as local residents.”

“ Report helps with future planning and prioritising work when the budgets are tight” Broadfield House Glass Museum

VAQAS 1,000 th attraction receive their plaque from VisitEngland Chairman, Lady Cobham

“ Informative and easy to read, content useful” Beth Chatto Gardens

Rheged Centre

What VAQAS covers• Pre-Arrival Telephone contact both in and out of hours; website;

leaflet/promotional material and social media content. An appointment is made with one named contact, with strict guidelines that the visit should not be announced to the rest of the onsite team.

• Visit From the initial welcome through to every aspect including guided tours and walks. Key areas such as toilets, catering and retail, plus enticement to return via event promotion.

• De-Brief One to one de-brief on the day with the named contact. This enables swift action should any area be highlighted during the visit such as incorrect opening hours on website or out of date signage. It also ensures that details included within the report will not be unexpected.

• Written Report A detailed report follows no later than two weeks after the visit. The report will contain key observations and recommendations and highlight positives as well as any negatives. It is important that this report is made available to the onsite team. This engagement with the process is proven to aid motivation and improve staff interaction with visitors.

“ Useful and constructive”Raby Castle

And it doesn’t stop there... On successful completion of your accreditation VisitEngland will issue you with an external display sign. You will also receive a jpeg of the Quality Rose Marque to enable you to use the Marque on all promotional material.

The detail of each visit is confidential; reports therefore will not be shared with a third party without prior authorisation from you. You may use your report in any way that supports your business.

Good examples of use of the reports include:

• Generation of local PR coverage, pulling elements of the report and using in a media release

• Funding bids, inclusion within the application/s demonstrates that your commitment to quality is proven by an independent source

• Other schemes, often a way of cutting out entire sections and therefore avoiding duplication in a cost-effective way

• Strategic forward planning for both the internal and external business connections

• Staff motivation and identifying training needs

“ We’ve learned so much from this”RSPB Frampton Marsh

“ We were very pleased with the detailed, helpful and fresh insights in the de-brief”The Roman Baths, Fashion Museum and Victoria Art Gallery

www.visitengland.org

“ The de-brief was really helpful” Pleasurewood Hills Theme Park

Banham Zoo

Chatsworth House

The Visitor Attraction Quality Assurance Scheme

“ The annual VAQAS assessment, completed by experienced Assessors, helps us to keep improving the quality of our visitor experience”

Chatsworth House

Apply nowComplete the enclosed Application Form and return to:

VAQAS, VisitEngland, 1 Palace Street, London, SW1E 5HX

E VAQAS@visitengland.org T 020 7578 1451 W www.visitengland.org

“ We received the report surprisingly quickly after the visit. It was very clear as to what was good and what we needed to improve”Thames RIB experience

“ Good, honest analysis,offering considered and constructive advice”Preston Hall Museum

“ Very useful: alerted us to our strengths and weaknesses. Very detailed too which was great” Slimbridge Wetland Centre

“ Detailed, well reasoned, encouraging”Newark Air Museum

“ We use the report to identify areas where we need to improve”Southend Pier

“ Complete and relevant” Sudeley Castle

“Extremely helpful” Althorp

“ We have identified areas for improvement, allocated tasks and all staff read the report and sign a copy”Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park