Quality isn't an optional extra for tourism businesses.
Consumers and international travel sellers expect the tourism
experiences they buy and sell to be of a certain standard.
Delivering on these expectations is crucial to the continued
satisfaction of our visitors and the tourism industry's ability to
live up to the values of manaakitanga (hospitality) and
kaitiakitanga (guardianship).
In 2005, Tourism New Zealand launched a quality strategy
designed to give consumers and travel sellers confidence in New
Zealand's reputation as a high-quality holiday destination. This
meant an increased focus on quality and making sure we work with
New Zealand-based operators who share our commitment to delivering
world-class experiences.
Our visitors expect outstanding service, from the moment they
first make contact with tourism operators to having the experience
that lives up to their expectations. They expect easy and
convenient booking processes, value for money, friendly and
knowledgeable staff, good quality facilities, appropriate safety
standards, and an experience that delights them and makes them want
to talk about it with their friends and family.
We know from our research (see our Visitor Experience Monitor)
that the vast majority of visitors to New Zealand are highly
satisfied with the holiday experiences they have here. But that
doesn't mean New Zealand tourism can rest on its laurels.
Competition for the global traveller is fierce and New Zealand
needs to be at the top of its game to continue to attract
international visitors from our target markets. This includes
offering a quality visitor experience, as well as meeting visitors'
expectations in terms of how we care for the environment.
To identify operators performing at a requisite level of
quality, it is necessary to have an assessment framework. Quality
accreditation programmes give visitors and the travel industry
assurance that they are working with reputable operators who are
serious about providing customers with good-value, high-quality
experiences.
At present, only Qualmark - New Zealand tourism's official
quality accreditation programme - meets Tourism New Zealand's
criteria as an appropriate tourism accreditation programme.
Qualmark signals to travellers that a business is professional
and trustworthy so they can book and buy with confidence. The
Qualmark logo identifies businesses that have been through rigorous
onsite assessments using a set of national quality standards
developed with the industry and based on research into what
travellers want. Travellers who choose Qualmark know that their
holiday experience will meet or exceed expectations.
100% pure assurance
Tourism New Zealand needs to be confident that the operators it
works with to represent New Zealand internationally operate at a
level of quality that meets or exceeds the expectations of
international visitors and the travel trade. For this reason we
require that all tourism businesses wishing to participate in our
offshore trade shows or travel trade events must be Qualmark
accredited.
As a part-owner of Qualmark, Tourism New Zealand supports this
programme in our work both here in New Zealand and in our
international markets. At home in New Zealand, we assist with
domestic marketing of the Qualmark programme and also try to
include Qualmark-accredited businesses in our trade and
international media familiarisation itineraries, whenever possible.
Our consumer website, www.newzealand.com, gives preference to
Qualmark accredited operators in its operator listings.
As international consumers become more environmentally aware,
the environmental performance of operators is becoming an
increasingly important part of what makes up a quality holiday
experience - particularly for New Zealand, which markets itself to
the world as '100% Pure New Zealand'. In 2008, Qualmark introduced
Qualmark Green, a programme that integrates environmental
performance alongside quality and that recognises those operators
who exceed minimum standards with green Qualmark Enviro logos.
Read more about
Qualmark and Qualmark Green
Tourism New Zealand promotes Qualmark through the 100% Pure
Assurance marketing campaign.