VisitScotland Quality Assurance Scheme - Enquiry Form
The following sections provide guidance and best practice examples of how visitor attractions can achieve high scores with regards to the core experience scoring elements of a Quality Assurance Grading Visit.
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Quality Assurance core experience scoring
Orientation ensures there is a logical, intuitive route through the attraction so that visitors can engage with all areas.
Visitors will benefit from regular and clear advice on how best to negotiate all areas – verbal, orientation boards, maps or similar.
Solway Tours – currently scoring 10/10 (2019/20)
- One-to-one verbal orientation given, personalised to the tour you have chosen
- Guides extremely knowledgeable about routes and content – comprehensive verbal orientation and reiterated at different points on the tour
- Well-collated folder in the car with route maps and additional orientation information
- Use of tablet by guide when in the car between stop points to give further orientation
- Very clear route information on the website, but also proactively change or add destinations based on your interests once on the tour, and ensure orientation is provided in real time
- Find out more on the Solway Tours website
National Museum of Rural Life – currently scoring 10/10 (2019/20)
- Hand out illustrated orientation maps
- Comprehensive verbal orientation at arrival desk
- Clearly guided through one-way system via signage (and assisted by excellent building layout and visitor flow management)
- Clearly defined museum sections and separate farm
- Find out more on the National Museum of Rural Life website
Balmoral Castle – currently scoring 10/10 (2019/20)
- Comprehensive verbal orientation of toilets, café and where to commence tour
- Hand out maps
- Audio guide which takes you from one area to the next with numbered points
- Finger post signage assists with navigation
- Find out more on the Balmoral Castle website
Five-star scoring for this section will see a significant effort being put in to welcoming visitors of all types.
The Royal Yacht Britannia – currently scoring 10/10 (2019/20)
- Audio tour is available in 30 languages, children’s version, as well as a British Sign Language tablet and in a Braille script
- Printed version of English language tour, in large font (upon request)
- Tablets available with the Britannia tour in British Sign Language
- Audio handset tour in basic English for visitors with learning difficulties, visitors whose first language is not English may also find this tour useful
- Find out more on the Royal Yacht Britannia website
Best practice standards will see interpretation that excites, stimulates, educates, is fun, engaging and meets the needs of all visitors. A variety of different mediums are used to tell the "story" and looking at the condition and presentation of all mediums is considered.
The Scotch Whisky Experience – currently scoring 10/10 (2019/20)
- Knowledgeable staff and guides
- Use of technology (cinema room, visual effects in the tasting room)
- Interactive elements for additional engagement (for example barrel ride)
- Find out more on the Scotch Whisky Experience website
The Riverside Museum – currently scoring 10/10 (2019/20)
- Strong use of technology, audio, visual and interactive display techniques
- Immersive historic street
- Opportunity to explore a range of vehicles and transport models up close
- Supplementary events programme and temporary exhibitions
- Volunteer led museum tours
- Exceptional range and volume of information, with option for visitors to delve deeper into areas of interest via touch screen content – incorporates social history of Glasgow in addition to transport
- Find out more on the Riverside Museum website
National Museum of Flight – currently scoring 10/10 (2019/20)
- Use of technology, audio and visual
- Proactive staff members to ask
- Opportunity to physically walk onto the planes to see them for yourself
- Excellent Concorde exhibition
- Hands-on exhibits
- Various levels of knowledge catered for
- Find out more on the National Museum of Flight website
Stirling Castle
Image credit: Historic Environment Scotland
- Strong use of technology, audio, visual and interactive display techniques
- Guided tours from knowledgeable guides
- Character actors to bring the history to life
- Supplementary events programme and temporary exhibitions
Robert Burns Birthplace Museum – currently scoring 10/10 (2019/20)
- Strong use of technology, audio, visual and interactive display techniques within the main museum to create engagement across a large range of visitor types and ages – maintenance of technology excellent
- Temporary exhibition space separate for rotating subject content which keeps content fresh
- Separate more traditional interpretation experience of original Burns’ cottage set up as it would have been at the time
- Addition of strong events programme throughout the year for further interpretation on the theme
- Find out more on the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum website
Looking for staff that are well presented and easily identifiable as team members. Use of high quality fabrics, branding, name badges, smart in overall appearance and appropriate to role and attraction.
The Scotch Whisky Experience – currently scoring 10/10 (2019/20)
As with arrival:
- Full complement of bespoke, corporate uniform, making use of high-quality fabrics and in excellent condition
- All clothing clean and well-pressed, with staff having a well-groomed appearance
- All staff wearing and having a clearly visible branded name badge of a high quality
- Find out more on the Scotch Whisky Experience website
The Scottish Crannog Centre – currently scoring 10/10 (2019/20)
As with arrival:
- All staff wear bespoke outfits as they would have dressed in the Crannog – appropriate to attraction
- Name badges carved from wood, very in keeping with attraction
- Find out more on the Scottish Crannog Centre website
Seafari Adventures Oban – currently scoring 10/10 (2019/20)
- Example of exemplary standards for activity provider – appropriate to attraction
- Branded fleeces, t-shirts and wool hats for when staff are in the booking office/shop
- Appropriate full branded kit for when on the RIB, with highlighted name lanyard for identification
- Find out more on the Seafari Adventures Oban website
This section looks at the intrinsic quality and condition, innovation, branding, clear and comprehensive systems of signage, masking use of universal symbols and linking the theme of the attraction in signing.
At present, there are no specific 10/10 best practice examples available for reference for this scoring section. For reference, to achieve 10/10 best practice standards, the following guidance points must be met:
- Outstanding quality materials used in signage construction, for example acrylic or even digital signage – this will include all temporary signage such as one-way directional systems and "out of order" notices.
- All signs in excellent condition
- All signs feature some form of corporate identification, for example brand logo or corporate colouring
- Innovative use of design on signage, co-ordinating with the theme of the attraction
- Comprehensive, clearly visible and easy to follow system of signage, appropriate to size and nature of the attraction
- Clear, easy to understand, accurate and comprehensive information on signage. This will often incorporate universal symbols that can be understood by all, or some form of foreign language provision.
Your visitors will be looking for instruction that is comprehensive, clear, easy to understand, adapting delivery to suit visitor mix, engaging, friendly and encouraging. Any materials used as aids of a high quality and condition.
The Cook School Scotland, shop and café – currently scoring 10/10 (2019/20)
- Quality instruction, taking consideration of different skill levels within the group
- Group management exceptional, linking single attendees together for workstation support, and creating a group meal setting at the conclusion for the group to share their experience
- Clear and easy to follow guidance throughout the class, imparted with enthusiasm and humour
- Find out more on the Cook School Scotland website
Mull Eagle Watch – currently scoring 10/10 (2019/20)
- Wealth of information as ranger-led
- Flexible to adapt to visitor knowledge and interest levels
- Find out more information on the Mull Eagle Watch website
Five-star scoring will see comprehensive information on all events/productions presented in a clear, engaging and easy to understand format. There should be an extensive range of events/productions to meet all visitor types. There should also be enhancing information provided and any materials used to be of a high quality and in excellent condition.
Usher Hall – currently scoring 10/10 (2019/20)
- Wide range of high-profile acts and events
- World-class stage acts and production quality
- Broad repertoire of productions to attract all visitor types
- Find out more on the Usher Hall website
The comfort and appreciation of the production for visitors is at the core of this score. Excellent acoustic design, clear and appropriate volume level with no intrusive background noises. High quality seating/spacing/leg room/sight lines, in terms of comfort and condition.
At present, no specific 10/10 best practice examples are available for reference for this scoring section. For reference, to achieve 10/10 best practice standards, the following guidance points must be met:
- Excellent acoustic design to produce high quality sound – absolutely clear, appropriate volume level for the production, no intrusive background noise from other areas
- Seating appropriate to venue, in excellent order with high quality fabrics used for upholstery, all in excellent condition and no evidence of wear and tear on any area; seating offers excellent comfort levels to the visitor; ample arm and leg room for every visitor; arranged to allow all visitors a clear sight line and appreciation of the production
- Ventilation, heating and lighting in full working order, to create a very comfortable atmosphere for the duration of the production – appropriate lighting levels in and around the auditorium/exhibition space which does not intrude on the production
- For larger venues, appropriate number and size of screens in proportion to size of venue, strategically positioned to allow a clear view and enjoyment of the production
- Where appropriate to theatre production, use of surtitles/supertitles, positioned to be easily viewed from all seats
- For arts centre/exhibition space, sound and lighting used to enhance presentation; comfortable space and clear sight lines for all visitors
Content is comprehensive, clear, easy to understand, engaging, with use of excellent delivery in terms of methods used, volume, speed and clarity. Well thought out route and any materials used to enhance delivery are of a high quality and in excellent condition.
Solway Tours – currently scoring 10/10 (2019/20)
- Exceptional knowledge base and enthusiasm of both owners/guides, who have huge personal investment in the subject matter
- Able to adapt tour content easily during a tour by judging customer interest levels in different aspects
- Their own personalisation and engagement during delivery
- Personally collated binders in the car with extra content, and use of tablet to show extra content ad-hoc
- Find out more on the Solway Tours website
Jacobite Cruises Ltd. – currently scoring 10/10 (2019/20)
- Live commentator aboard
- Engaged and knowledgeable team
- Commentator moves through the boat engaging individually with customers between PA commentary
- Quality and easy to hear PA system
- Visual interpretation illustrations and maps around the boat to supplement – all aspects well branded and made from high quality materials
- Find out more on the Jacobite Cruises website
Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safaris – currently scoring 10/10 (2019/20)
- Tours are bespoke, personalised and tailored to the client's knowledge/interest, with a very comprehensive level of information provided throughout the tour
- The guide/owner is extremely enthusiastic and knowledgeable, providing very engaging tours, whilst being aware of visitor needs
- Reference materials include an iPad to listen to birdsong and research birds/wildlife, as well as numerous bird books available and materials to note what you have spotted
- Find out more on the Highland Wildlide Safaris website
High quality vehicle, appropriate to tour/terrain. Use of branding, vehicles in excellent condition offering high levels of comfort in terms of seating, space, ventilation, lighting, heating, extras and atmosphere.
Highland Wildlife & Birdwatch Safaris – currently scoring 10/10 (2019/20)
- The tour vehicle is an immaculate Range Rover, which is renewed on a regular basis, with no evidence of wear and tear
- The vehicle is washed and hoovered prior to each tour
- Controllable heated seats in the front and back, adjustable heating in the back
- Ample legroom in the front and back for visitors
- Extras include screens on the back of the headrests showing wildlife that has been recently photographed in the area, USB ports, spare phone cables, complimentary snacks
- Find out more on the Highland Wildlife Safaris website
Exceed visitors expectations with a wide range of high quality businesses, suitable to the theme of the centre and location. The range should suit visitor mix, interests and budgets and include coffee/food outlets.
At present, no specific 10/10 best practice examples are available for reference for this scoring section. To achieve 10/10 best practice standards, the following guidance points must be met:
- A wide range of high-quality businesses, appropriate to the overall theme of the centre, for example factory outlets, high street shopping, designer outlet, leisure businesses
- A wide range of businesses to suit the visitor mix, visitor interests and budgets – including for example specialist outlets, exclusive products, food, clothing, children’s products, books, gifts
- More than one restaurant and café/coffee shop outlet located on-site
- Proportion of specialist or exclusive businesses, for example large retailer’s first/only outlet in Scotland/region
- Effort made to ensure local and/or Scottish businesses and products are represented, appropriate to the centre
- Only one or two empty units
Looks at the intrinsic quality of décor, flooring, fixtures and fittings, condition, enhancements used. Effective use of and the condition and maintenance of lighting, heating and ventilation.
Clynelish Distillery – currently scoring 10/10 (2021/2022)
To achieve 10/10 best practice standards, the following guidance points must be met:
- Pristine paintwork and woodwork
- Use of enhancements, for example pictures and signage appropriate to the attraction, all of a professional standard and in excellent condition
- High quality, hard wearing flooring in excellent condition, appropriate to the location
- High quality fixtures and fittings, all in excellent condition
- Ventilation, heating and lighting in full working order, to create a comfortable atmosphere – particular attention paid to effective use of lighting covering displays and exhibition areas