Accreditation is increasingly becoming a necessity for businesses operating in the tourism industry. It is valued by operators, government, industry bodies and guests alike.
As well as providing your business with the tools and guidance to develop and grow, accreditation assists your business to meet and exceed customer expectations through:
Adherence to industry standards and codes of practice
Compliance to business and industry regulations
Development and implementation of business and marketing plans
Assessing quality standards and helping to identify and establish improvement and development goals for your business
In Queensland, QTIC manages the programs under the Quality Tourism Framework (QTF). The QTF is governed by the Australian Tourism Industry (ATIC) and is actively managed in all states and territories.
The Quality Tourism Framework (QTF) is a national business development program that is suitable for tourism businesses of all shapes and sizes. It provides businesses with the necessary tools and resources to ensure best practice management, customer confidence and the ongoing sustainability.
It consists of a collection of Australia’s most recognized and well-respected tourism industry programs, including:
Quality Tourism Accreditation (previously known as the Australia Tourism Accreditation Program, or ATAP)
Star Ratings (previously AAA Star Ratings)
Australian Tourism Awards, including Queensland Tourism Awards (to find out more about Queensland Tourism Awards, click here)
Queensland’s international and domestic competitiveness depends on our ability to deliver consistent, quality experiences and services to our visitors
Accreditation lifts the standard of our industry’s and visitor’s quality expectations.
Accreditation is also an important indicator of the quality of your management and product delivery:
Government and industry bodies look for accreditation when evaluating participation in various programs and in grant applications
Our regional, state and national marketing organisations often look for accreditation when seeking products for inclusion in exclusive campaigns
Independent quality standards are an important consideration for guests when choosing accommodation and experiences. More and more quests are placing higher expectations on the businesses and products they support, demanding quality and responsible management.
Quality Tourism Accreditation involves completion of information in the following areas:
Compliance with both business and industry specific regulations
Adherence to industry sector standards and codes of practice
Risk management procedures and training
Business and marketing plans
Human resources management policy and procedures
Customer service policy and procedures
Environmental management policies and procedures
Star Ratings are awarded to six distinct accommodation categories, each with their own tailored set of criteria:
Hotels
Motels
Services apartments
Hosted accommodation
Caravan and Holiday Parks
Self-catering
The ‘star’ symbols are a licensed trademark and can only be used by properties that have been licensed to use them. Star Ratings are your safeguard against ‘self-ratings’; properties who have assessed their own quality standards.
For more information on the Star Ratings program, click here.
To register for accreditation, visit the Quality Tourism Australia website.
Each program has their own suite of valuable benefits and we are continuously working on new ways to bring greater benefit and recognition to our accredited operators.
Join a national network of over 5,000 quality tourism business and increase your reputation
Flaunt your achievement by displaying your accreditation logos on your digital and print marketing material
Customer confidence: your guests can rest assured they’ve chosen an experience that meets best practice management standards and accommodation rated critically against standards that matter most to them
Business development: identify and establish development and improvement goals for your business
Exposure: increase your business visibility with a free listing on the Trust the Tick or Star Ratings website and inclusion in ATIC’s national advertising campaigns
Credibility: receive an independent site inspection every three years
Industry-wide recognition of your accreditation:
Eligibility for entry into the Queensland Tourism Awards
Recognition of your programs through the Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (provided you have an ATDW listing)
Recognition for points in Tourism & Events Queensland's Best of Queensland Experiences Program
Free access to your own reputation management dashboard with ReviewPro, where you can manage all of your online reviews in the one place
Star Ratings accredited properties also enjoy:
Our Accreditation Project Officer is happy to help.
Emily Ellis
Email: accreditation@qtic.com.au
Phone: 07 3238 1969
QTIC also supports and works closely with other credible accreditation and certification programs, all of which represent credible standards and support their members with a range of valuable benefits. It is up to you to determine which program, or programs, are the best fit for your business. If you’re unsure or would like to discuss your options, feel free to discuss this with our Accreditation Manager.
Caravan Industry Association of Australia National Accreditation Program
The Caravan /Holiday Park Accreditation Program is an industry specific scheme, to improve business standards within the industry by Caravan/Holiday Park owners and managers.
China Ready Training and Accreditation
CHINA READY Training and Accreditation™ prepares people and businesses for the opportunities and challenges of engaging with China and the Chinese market.
Customer Service Institute of Australia – International Customer Service Standard (ICSS)
The Customer Service Institute of Australia (CSIA) has two Certification Programs designed to enhance service standards in the private sector, not-for-profit and government organisations.
EarthCheck
EarthCheck is the world’s leading scientific benchmarking certification group for the travel and tourism industry. Their programs focus on environmental sustainability using a scientific approach.
Ecotourism Australia
Ecotourism Australia manages three reputable programs for tourism operators that focus on environmental sustainability and responsible business:
ECO Certification
Climate Action Certification
Respecting Our Culture Certification
Gold Anchor Global Marina Accreditation
The International Gold Anchor Rating Scheme rates marinas according to an independent assessment of its infrastructure, planning and service.
National Accommodation, Recreation and Tourism Accreditation (NARTA)
NARTA encompasses a comprehensive procedure for checking and providing recognition of compliance with relevant legal operational requirements.
Queensland Visitor Information Centre (VIC) Accreditation
To raise the standard of information provision and acknowledge genuine visitor information providers, tourism bodies across Australia have developed Visitor Information Centre (VIC) accreditation programs or policies with related standards.