QA empowers visitors to make informed choices and provides consumer confidence. It gives reassurance to guests that your property is independently assessed and offers high standards. Now more than ever visitors need that extra reassurance – and QA can provide that.
Our well-established awards are familiar and trusted by visitors to Scotland. International visitors are more likely to look for this reassurance – especially when visiting for the first time. Online Travel Agents (OTAs) are more likely to consider working with or booking with a QA member.
VisitScotland.com users often base their search on “the Stars”. QA member listings are, on average, almost three times more likely to receive visitor referrals.
Make informed business decisions through tailored insight from our experienced team. Identify where training or investment can make the biggest difference.
Being a QA member can help you to grow your business and can help get access to loans or funding. Some councils ask for evidence that a QA visit can provide.
Take a look at our Quality Assurance criteria for your type of business, so you are aware what our team will be looking for when assessing your business. Don’t worry if you’re not sure you can meet all the requirements, we can offer you guidance that’s right for your business.
Review the guidance and criteria for your business typeOur schedule of conditions contain useful guidelines that should be read and understood before you apply.
Read our schedule of conditions for accommodation providers.
Our annual fees for Quality Assurance Scheme membership vary depending on the type and size of your business. They range from around £52 +VAT for a small hostel to around £1,500 +VAT for a large accommodation provider with 100 rooms.
Find our full range of Quality Assurance Scheme fees in the following download:
Published March 2023
QA fees for the current scheme year
If you have any queries, our team can help provide advice on what will work best for you. Get in touch with us at customer.services@visitscotland.com
Once you've signed up, you’ll receive a welcome call from our Quality Assurance team. They will talk you through the process of how your first live grading visit will work before we visit you in person. You'll also have the chance to ask us any questions you might have.
We want to help you reach your desired Star Award as early as possible. This is a chance for us to offer some advice and give you a bespoke written report to help you on your way.
We will also provide you with your Awaiting Grading logo which you can use straight away. This way, you won’t need to wait for us to visit before offering your visitors some reassurance that you care about providing a quality experience.
Using the logo can help reassure visitors. It demonstrates that you want to be transparent about the level of your offering. It will also show that your business will be held accountable to national standards.
One of our Quality and Tourism Advisors (QTAs) will schedule a live grading visit. Depending on what type of business you are, this may take the form of an incognito visit.
At the end of the grading visit, the QTA will provide you with feedback and advice about their experience. This is a valuable opportunity to learn about the visitor journey your business is offering. It is also a chance to gain insights on any plans you have for future development.
Following your grading visit, you will receive confirmation of your Star Rating by email. along with a detailed report containing tailored advice and guidance.
We will also provide you with an award plaque and electronic logos so that you can shout about your new Quality Assurance Award.
New applicants are given priority when scheduling visits. We'll endeavour to visit you within six weeks of receipt of application (unless otherwise instructed by the business).
A business will normally receive a visit every two years. This is unless the business specifically requests an additional visit (e.g. in order to review an award).
Requests for additional visits outwith the biennial cycle will incur an additional fee.
Your first visit will generally be carried out incognito, depending on the type of business you operate.
Thereafter visits may be pre-announced or incognito. This depends on the time since your last incognito visit and customer feedback.
You should expect to receive your award confirmation within two-three weeks of the grading visit. Along with, you'll receive your Quality & Tourism Advisor’s written report, award plaque, and electronic logos.
QA members will also be assessed for Taste Our Best, (our food and drink award) as part of the grading visit. This is in addition to being assessed for your Star rating. There is no additional fee for this.
You are under no obligation to accept the award and whether your business achieves a Taste Our Best award or not, has no bearing on your Star rating.
For further information, please refer to our Taste Our Best page.
You'll be able to discuss your award outcome with the Quality and Tourism Advisor (QTA) who has undertaken your grading visit. They will help you understand what was required to achieve your desired Star rating.
Following this award outcome, we'll do what we can to help you achieve your goal going forward.
All new awards are supported by a Quality Review Committee. So, you can be reassured the awards we distribute mirror the national benchmark standards set for Scotland.
Your QA Star rating will remain valid provided you continue to renew your annual membership.
Our QA Scheme year runs from April to March. We will contact you at the beginning of each QA Scheme year for renewal of membership.
You can decide not to renew your membership or withdraw participation. In that case, your award will no longer be valid, and you will be obliged to remove it from display.
The Scottish Tourist Board is the former name of VisitScotland. We have retained the Scottish Tourist Board name for our Quality Assurance schemes.
We recognise that for some businesses joining the Quality Assurance Scheme will be a new experience and maybe even a little daunting.
If you’re not quite at the point of making that leap – don’t worry, we’re here to help you!
Whatever your concerns, we are committed to working with you, so that you can start to enjoy the benefits of Quality Assurance.
Would you like a call from one of our dedicated Quality Assurance team? We are always happy to try and answer any queries you might have.
Email customer.services@visitscotland.com to arrange a convenient time for us to get in touch.
Perhaps your business is brand new, or undergoing major redevelopment. Maybe you'd like some pointers before your business is fully assessed for a Star Rating? In which case you can find out more on our Advisory Service page.