SICTED: Integral System for the Tourism Quality
What is the commitment to Tourism Quality Label?
The SICTED (Spanish initials for Integral System for the Tourism Quality in Destinations) is a project promoted by the Secretary of State for Tourism whose aim is to improve the overall visitor's experience. The Provincial Council of Pontevedra is joined to this project via the destination Rías Baixas-province of Pontevedra. This approach covers not only the services provided by the main agents of the tourist offer (hotels, restaurants, travel agencies, etc.) but also others that, without being exclusively tourist services, contribute to the visitor´s experience of a particular destination in a positive way.
Gala SICTED Vigo 2022
The "Commitment to Tourism Quality" label aims to implement a standard level of quality in the services offered to the tourist in the same destination. This will allow the visitor to have a complete understanding of and satisfaction with the various agents that provide these services.
For this reason, the SICTED assesses and certifies the quality of a total of 32 different tourist services and, as a result, they see how their effort and commitment towards quality is recognised. This label also represents a competitive advantage and distinction compared to other professionals in the same sector.
What are its general benefits?
This integrated and permanent system for the tourism quality in destinations offers several advantages for the certified destination and its services. In the first case, it:
Establishes a permanent management structure aimed to increase the competitiveness of the tourism companies in the destination
Offers a standard level of quality in all tourist services in order to enhance the visitor satisfaction and promote its loyalty
Increases the involvement and participation of the business sector in the tourism development at the destination
Regarding the companies or services, the SICTED:
Improves their internal management, specially on the processes related to customer satisfaction
Improves the qualification of the staff through a training program
Participates in the largest tourism quality project developed in Spain along with more than 5,700 companies
Receives technical assistance, which offers support for improvement
In the case of the Rías Baixas Destination, what does it offer?
The Provincial Council of Pontevedra offers, in this case, an advice and continuous training project for tourism agents and companies. This project is complemented with an analysis of the compliance of the quality management system and the proposal of possible improvements with a view to obtain the "Commitment to Quality" label, completely free of charge.
Apart from these benefits, agents can be integrated in various promotion campaigns incorporated in this programme. These benefits include:
Advertising
Dissemination through social networks
Presence in leading websites of the tourism sector: www.calidadendestino.es and the website of Turismo Rías Baixas
Participation in the certificate award ceremony
How can I participate in SICTED-Rías Baixas?
The "Commitment to Tourism Quality" label is valid for two years. It is conditioned to an annual follow-up assessment and the passing of a thorough evaluation. Therefore, the company or tourism agent must comply with the specified requirements.
On the one hand, the concerned tourism agent must carry out its activities in the destination Rías Baixas-province of Pontevedra. The tourism companies and services that are located in the town councils of Baiona and Sanxenxo are excluded because they belong to another managing authority. The tourism companies and services located in Agolada, Vila de Cruces, Rodeiro, Silleda, Lalín, Dozón, Forcarei and A Estrada are also excluded because they are integrated in the authority Terras de Pontevedra Norte - Deza - Tabeirós.
On the other hand, the service provided by the agent must fit in one of the 35 services certified by this system. Interested companies must complete an application form through the SICTED page or through Turismo Rías Baixas.
Services certified by SICTED
Adventure tourism companies
Artisans
Bars and coffee shops
Beaches
Berths for cruises and ferries
Campsites
Car rentals and boat rentals
Cleaning services
Convention and visitors bureaus
Golf and pitch and putt courses
Hostels
Hotels and tourist apartments
Industrial tourism centres
Marinas
Meeting tourism areas
Museums and tourist attractions
Other services
PCO
Permanent scenic area
Protected natural environments
Recreational parks
Restaurants and catering companies
Rural accommodations
Security companies
Shops
Ski and mountain resorts
Spanish schools for foreigners
Taxis
Tour guides
Tourist information offices
Tourist transport companies
Tourist workshops
Travel agencies
Wellness tourism
Wineries
Handbook of good practices (GP): model of procedure and assessment
Handbooks of good practices are promoted with the aim to obtain a standard level of quality in the services provided by the various agents in the tourist destination. These documents include a code of practice that needs to be followed by each of the 35 types of businesses. The compliance with these good practices is one of the requirements needed to obtain the quality certificate.
In this way, the handbooks of good practices are a model to be followed by the tourist agent and they also function as an evaluation system.
The SICTED at the Rías Baixas Destination: businesses recognised with the Quality Standard
The "Commitment to Tourism Quality" label represents an opportunity for the consolidation of Rías Baixas as a destination of reference in tourism quality, and it helps to improve the positioning of the destination and the services offered.
Since the first certification, in 2006, the SICTED label has been granted to 322 companies in the province of Pontevedra.
