Assessing quality can be a slightly contentious issue. High quality to one person may not be high quality to another; it can be relative. How can you assess how enjoyable a day out will be? How can you decide whether a visitor will like or dislike an attraction? 

It is not the role of VAQAS to assess whether someone will like or dislike an attraction; that is too subjective and can depend on levels of interest or personal beliefs – some people love zoos, others do not. Rather, the role of VAQAS is to compare and contrast similar types of attractions in an objective manner. The comparisons offer up examples of best practice that can be adopted to enhance the quality of the visitor experience. Ideas may be relatively simple, like screening a work area or re-writing an information sign, to more complex ideas like developing interactive interpretation or storyboard techniques. The sharing of best practice between attractions is central to the VAQAS service. 

Achieving a high quality visitor experience is therefore seldom achieved by chance but will almost invariably be the outcome of careful planning and anticipation of visitor needs at all levels, not just age levels, but also interest and intellectual levels. To achieve high quality there needs to be a genuine concern for the convenience and the enjoyment of the visitor. Visits may not all be fun; some museums interpret very serious and thought provoking topics, but all visits should be memorable and memorable for the right reasons – not because toilet facilities were dirty or a cup of tea in the café was cold.

Achieving a high quality visitor experience means identifying who your visitors are. What are their specific needs and expectations and how do you plan to meet those needs and exceed those expectations? How can you develop your attraction to attract new visitors and what issues are other attractions facing? 

How does it work?

The assessment covers the whole visitor journey from telephone enquiries to toilets. But if a facility is not provided then it cannot be assessed and there is no penalty for having no car park, no toilets, no catering or no retailing areas. VAQAS only assesses what is there, not what isn’t. 

The service is annual and carried out at any time the attraction is open to visitors. Assessments are usually unannounced and incognito, although a named contact is often advised beforehand to ensure their availability for the debrief. 

What is assessed?

Assessments take into account the type and style of the attraction, so an assessment of a farm attraction will be quite different from that of a science museum. Styles of presentation and interpretation will differ between the farm and science museum, and visitor expectations will reflect that. Quality is therefore assessed in context, relative to the sector of the industry in which the attraction sits.

In all areas, specific attention is given to cleanliness and customer service. Staff are the vital ingredient in making an attraction a success.

Debrief and report

Immediately after the assessment there is a feedback session on all aspects of the visit. This highlights strengths of the operation and identifies development areas. All points are for consideration. The debrief and subsequent detailed quality report provide a very useful management tool for the attraction. This can help in developing action points or identifying staff training needs. 

All well managed attractions should be able to achieve the award of VisitBritain’s accreditation of ‘Quality Assured Visitor Attraction’. Any that do not on the first occasion are helped to achieve it with follow-up visits and further advice. The accreditation and use of VisitBritain’s Tudor Rose offers a very powerful marketing tool and an independent endorsement from the national tourist board for England. 

Further details

To find out more about VAQAS email vaqas@visitbritain.org