Turismo Rías Baixas strengthens its leadership, since 10 of its tourist offices and information desks have obtained the “Q” certification for quality
Turismo Rías Baixas strengthens its leadership regarding “Q” certifications for tourism quality, since 10 of its tourist offices and information desks have received this certification, which means that they meet the UNE-ISO 14785 standard, awarded by the ICTE (Institute for Spanish Tourism Quality). Thus, all three customer and information services managed by Turismo Rías Baixas of the Deputación de Pontevedra have kept this certification in 2020, just as four offices of the Network Info Rías Baixas, and another three tourism establishments belonging to this network have received it for the first time.
As for the services of Turismo Rías Baixas, the main office and the tourist information desks in the monastery of A Armenteira and in the Airport of Vigo have kept this certification. Regarding the Network Info Rías Baixas, the tourist offices of Dunas de Gaifar, in Nigrán; O Casal de Ferreirós, in Poio; and that of A Estrada have just obtained this award. They were added to the list of tourism establishments that already had it: the tourist offices of Caldas de Reis; and Casa da Bóla, in Cangas; the information desk in A Illa de Arousa; and the office in Baiona.
In the audit carried out this year, an average mark of 878 points out of 1,000 was obtained. The report highlighted six strong points of the certified services: quality system review, customer attention, information provided to visitors, sources of information used by guides, and human resources employed, and, regarding infrastructure, facilities and equipment. Moreover, in the audit the other categories were awarded a qualification of “outstanding”: knowledge and compliance with legislation currently in force, implementation of the quality management system, customer satisfaction, quality management and communication technology.
Moreover, this year the offices of Turismo Rías Baixas and those of the Network Info Rías Baixas faced a major challenge in implementing all health and hygiene protocols due to COVID-19 outbreak, offering a quality, safety and professional guarantee in the information desks in the destination.
Certification pioneers
It is important to point out that the main office of Turismo Rías Baixas and the tourist information desk in the monastery of A Armenteira were the first Galician offices to obtain the “Q” certificate for quality, which recognises their quality and professionalism. Three years later, the tourist information desk in the Airport of Vigo received the distinction. Thus, all offices and information desks managed by Turismo Rías Baixas, belonging to the Deputación, have the “Q” for tourism quality.
Moreover, in 2018 the provincial institution created the Info Rías Baixas Tourist Office Network, intended for coordinating and developing actions aimed at achieving a uniform, consolidated and supervised tourism offer. Today, 25 offices and information desks joined the network, and two new applications are being processed. As stated in the regulatory bylaws of this network, these services can also obtain the “Q” certificates, so that very same year the tourist offices of Caldas de Reis and Casa da Bóla, in Cangas, received this award. The following year, the tourist office in Baiona and the tourist information desk in A Illa de Arousa were awarded this certification and this year 2020 the offices in Poio, Nigrán and A Estrada, already mentioned, were given the distinction too.
