New domestic grading scheme for family accommodation
A ‘Families Welcome’ accommodation accreditation scheme is to be developed by VisitBritain.
Accommodation providers will strat being signed up for the scheme from April 2007. Consumers will eventually be able to search for the Families Welcome logo on the www.enjoyengland.com and www.visitbritain.com websites or window stickers on assessed accommodation.
The scheme will only be available to accommodation properties that have been quality assessed by the tourist organisation. It will be complemented by a similar scheme for properties that make animals welcome.
Enjoy England, the domestic marketing division of VisitBritain, is launching a competition at www.enjoyengland.com/prizes to find a logo for the scheme. Children can also pick up drawing entry forms from 140 Tourist Information Centres.
Three to 15 year olds can visit www.enjoyengland.com/prizes for details on how to enter the competition to design a simple logo for the Families Welcome scheme from October 14-31. The winning design will be used on the Enjoy England and VisitBritain consumer websites. It will also be used by accommodation which has met the criteria. The winner will receive a short break in England with their family and their design will be revealed after November 28.
The organisation is also asking consumers to help identify the ‘family-specific’ criteria by which accommodation will be assessed. Ideas and suggestions of what they would require from family accommodation can be e-mailed to [email protected].
VisitBritain general manager for quality Jeremy Brinkworth said: “Everyone wants their holiday to be as stress-free as possible, but families particularly want to be sure that there is plenty to keep the kids entertained.
“We want to further improve the quality of experience for families when they go on holiday in England and believe this will be the first official assessment of accommodation in England based on the services, facilities and information they offer to families.
“This is the perfect chance for consumers to have their say and tell the tourism industry what they expect from their accommodation when on holiday in this country.”
Report by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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