Tricia Woods, One NorthEast's Training And Skills Coordinator, talks about how One NorthEast and VAQAS work together. 

"Regional Development Agencies have a key role to play in constantly driving forward the quality of visitor experience within their respective areas.

The diversity of North East England presents an exciting challenge as the tourism businesses are fragmented across the whole region including city, coastal, rural, and high-profile urban regeneration projects.

One NorthEast recognises the enormous part the Attractions sector plays in contributing to the visitor economy. The successful cultural regeneration we are experiencing in the North East spreads into economic regeneration and ensures that the local population as well as the wider visitor market all benefit from these exciting changes."

One of the main tools for meeting the requirements of both the incoming and indigenous visitor in the North East has been achieved by One NorthEast working in close partnership with VAQAS.

Tricia Woods, who has been instrumental in fostering the close relationship between the RDA and VAQAS, answers some commonly asked questions about how the scheme has benefited the North East. 

Q: How can one single scheme suit such a variety of needs?

A: Tourism is first and foremost a people business. The highly-experienced VAQAS team understands that it is individuality that makes our attractions so appealing to visitors from all over the world. One of the most important aspects of our region revolves around the fact that come rain or shine there is something for everyone, be it a long-distance visitor, or a local resident. Whether it is the region’s fine ship building tradition on show at Sunderland’s Winter Gardens, its once thriving wagon-works at Shildon’s Locomotion, or the tough coal and lead mining industry at Beamish or Kilhope in remote Weardale, the VAQAS accreditation makes the consumer feel more confident about their expectations both before and during their visit. 

Q: What is the benefit of VAQAS to the tourism operator?

A: It's the most inexpensive form of consultancy I can think of. So many businesses have told me that their VAQAS report has become an in-house bible. It has provided the evidence and rationale they need to make changes and required improvements to move forward.

Attention to detail is an area where VAQAS expertise plays a leading role. The assessors rarely leave any stone unturned in aiming to offer best practice in achieving high standards right across the board. Sympathetic and carefully considered comments from assessors, who have experienced tourist venues all over the UK and often further afield, have added tremendously to the enjoyment of visitors to the North East. 

Q: How has One NorthEast embraced the VAQAS scheme?

A: By working with David Falk and his team, we have delivered a number of informal and participative workshops all over the region. These workshops, called Quality Awareness Days are funded by One NorthEast and have afforded the opportunity for visitor attraction managers and their teams to come and witness first-hand not just how an assessment is done, but also identify those very areas that really make a difference to the visitor. It is very important to reassure those attending Quality Awareness Days that VAQAS isn't simply for large sector tourism, but just as crucial for small organisations employing perhaps only one or two people. Quality affects any venue, however small, and in many cases things like a clear location map on a website, or good signage can influence a visitor experience right from the starting gate. 

Q: Do operators feel pressurised to join the service once they have attended a Quality Awareness Day?

A: Absolutely not, the information is delivered in a lively and engaging style, but it is entirely their decision whether to join or not. For some it is the beginning of a journey to improve the quality of their attraction. For existing participants it can be a reaffirmation they are on the right track. 

Q: What has the take-up been like following Quality Awareness Day workshops?

A: Tees Valley were the first to realise the potential of VAQAS and Julia Frater who heads up the Tees Valley Area Tourism Partnership ensured support to assist all of their attractions, the net result being that now 95% of the Tees Valley product has joined VAQAS with not one single subsequent drop-out.

Q: Are operators ever disappointed with their report and do some not achieve the accreditation?

A: All operators are given the opportunity to sit down with the assessor and invite members of their team along to the ‘live’ debrief session provided immediately after the assessment. This is often very illuminating and normally provides the basis of a constructive and suitable action plan. Occasionally venues might not achieve the accreditation, however they are supplied with the necessary information they need to achieve the VAQAS award and receive a free-of-charge follow-up assessment when they are ready.

Q: Are there any hidden benefits revealed in a VAQAS report?

A: Plenty. One we have developed in this region involves dissecting information from the assessor's visit to identify training and skills needs. We have used this very successfully with Tyne & Wear Museums to tailor a whole new programme of ‘Welcome to Excellence’ courses by utilising live feedback to cover the issues identified. No organisation can afford to stand still, today's visitor is generally speaking widely-travelled, well-informed, and has high expectations. VAQAS grants us the opportunity in North East England to help keep one step ahead of our competitors and affords the organisations involved the vital support they deserve.

Q: What other partners do you work with? 

A: Recent partnership working with MLA (Museum, Libraries and Archives Council) means that currently there is a grant offering their membership the first year’s assessment fee, and in some cases improvement schemes to achieve the VAQAS award. MLA members who still haven't taken advantage of this offer should visit www.mlanortheast.org.uk, or contact Sarah Carr at the MLA on 0191 269 7994.

Q: What else is in the pipeline?

A: We are currently working on a very practical access action plan to ensure inclusion for all visitors whatever their needs. Details of this initiative are available at www.tourismnortheast.co.uk/allarewelcome

A new Access workshop is being developed which will support all of our Visitor Attractions and one of the first workshops will be held at Newcastle’s Centre for Life in January 2008.

Q: What are some of the other challenges facing visitor attractions?

A: Changes to shopping hours, licensing laws, the popularity of eating out, multi media – all of these mean our visitor attractions face immense competition, but using tools like VAQAS ensure we are offering the highest possible standards. In this way we are crucially able to share not only best practice across all sectors, but also venues can benefit from marketing initiatives through gaining the accreditation on www.visitnortheastengland.com, www.visitbritain.com and www.enjoyengland.co.uk websites. VAQAS is so highly recognised that it must now be built into any development proposal which has support from One NorthEast.