Czech National Services Quality System in Tourism [9]

The National Services Quality System in Tourism is based on the State Tourism Policy Concept in the Czech Republic in years 2007 – 2013 and also on the System of Quality and Innovation in Tourism – CzechQuint.

This project is financed by Integrated Operational Programme (IOP), which allocates financial resources from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

The CzechQuint project [8] originally contained a sub-project No. 3

“The system of sustainable tourism models”, which was closely linked to the No. 1 sub-project “Implementation of national quality standards in selected tourism sectors” and sub-project No. 2 “Quality services in rural tourism”. These three sub-projects covered development of sustainable, responsible and high-quality tourism in line with the EU tourism policy priorities. Unfortunately, the sub-project No 3 was removed by the decision of the Ministry for Regional Development.

Thereby the Project was narrowed only to the area of quality services in tourism operations without considering tourist´s satisfaciton level from staying at a destination with view to intangible factors i.e. hospitality, safety and security and cleanliness etc.

Implementation of a quality brand that does not include intangible factors of tourist´s satisfaction could be counterproductive.

The destination brand [10] communicates and signals the competitive positioning. This brand could be defined as a unique combination of product characteristics and added values, both tangible and intangible.

The brand is not only a trademark (logo or icon), but an experience and image that signals a value system and positioning.

The main priority of the CzechQuint´s sub-project No. 4 “Quality improvement of the Tourism Information Centres” is creation of the Standard for Tourism Information Centres.

Unfortunately, in this case a misunderstanding was also found, when this activity interferes with similar international activities of the International Organization for Standardization ISO. Moreover the Czech´s Standardization Body (ÚNMZ) is full member of ISO and participated in activities of ISO/TC 228 (ISO Technical Committee 228) “Tourism and related services”

The standardization project ISO/TC 228/WG 3 “Tourist information and reception services at Tourist Information Offices” [6] is focused on

standardization of a conceptual model that considers information service as well as the tourists’ reception provided within the Tourist Information Offices. This conceptual model should consider specific elements that guarantee an efficient and effective tourists information service and reception. On the one hand, the available technology represents a tool and an opportunity. On the other hand, the training of people responsible for this service should be provided with specific skills to attend the needs of the modern traveller.

Both elements, technology and training, are required for providing a coherent and homogeneous service, regardless the destination. The human capital becomes the principal tool to reassure these characteristics when providing information and reception services.

It should also be pointed out that the implementation of this standard also represents a new management strategy, since it depends on a shared agreement between public and private sector. Both of them become responsible for providing a service that satisfies the needs of consumers.

The Information Service and Reception at Tourist Information Offices is mainly the result and reflection of this shared responsibility.

Summary

Based on the evaluation of the theoretical basis for understanding the quality of tourism from various aspects with view to the reality in the Czech Republic, I can say that the Czech Republic inadequately implements the principles underpinning quality in tourism.

References

[1] Communicating Quality to Tourism Consumers, European Seminar-Workshop on Tourism Quality Systems, Vilnius, 4-6 November 2004, by Henryk Handszuh, Chief, Quality and Trade in Tourism, World Tourism Organization (WTO), Madrid, Spain

[2] European Commission: Communication from 30. 6. 2010, Europe, the world´s No. 1 tourist destination – a new political framework for tourism in Europe, COM(2010)final, Brussels 2010

[3] European Commission, Tourism Unit, Enterprise DG: A manual for evaluating the quality performance of tourist destinations and services, Brussels, Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxemburg, 2005, 51 p. 9, ISBN 92-894-8150

[4] HOTREC (Hotels, Restaurants and Cafés in Europe), The Hotelstars Union presentation. [On-line]. Available: <http://www.hotelstars.eu/en/>

[5] Internal document ISO/TC 228/SC N 364 „Mr. Michael A. Smith mail in response to HOTREC (N 340) and ECTAA (N 354) letters

[6] Internal ISO/TC 228/WG 3 document N 02R1 from 9. 9. 2008

[7] ISO 9000:2005 Quality management principles. [On-line]. Available:<

http://www.iso.org/iso/qmp>

[8] Presentation of the Czech National Services Quality System in Tourism, 3th meeting of the Czech Republic´s Quality Board, Technical Section of Quality Tourism, Hospitality, Spa and Gastronomy - documents, Ministry for Regional Development, 24. November 2010, Prague

[9] Presentation of the „CzechQuint Project – Quality and innovation in Tourism“, Minister for Regional Development Press Conference – documents, Ministry for Regional Developmenet, January 2010, Prague

[10] World Tourism Organization: A Practical Guide to Tourism Destination Management, WTO, Madrid 2007, page 45, ISBN 978-92-844-1243-3

Ing. Petr Houška

University of Business in Prague Lifelong Learning Unit Director Spálená 14

110 00 Praha 1 Czech Republic www.vso.cz

petr.houska@vso-praha.cu

Petr Houška worked for more than 20 years in tourism public administration. During his activities in this area he represented the Czech Republic in the Tourism Advisory Committee of the European Commission and was also an accredited representative for tourism services during the DOHA round negotiations in the framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO). He is also an expert of the National Standardization Authority for standardization of tourism services within the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO). He has been participating in the development of international tourism standards. He is also a member of the Czech Republic’s Quality Board, Technical Section of Quality Tourism and Hospitality, Spa and Gastronomy etc.

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