Quality Assured Seal

The Quality Assured (QA) Seal is a Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) voluntary quality recognition scheme aimed at businesses offering high levels of quality, consistency and professionalism. The QA seal covers three key tourism business operations, namely restaurants, visitor attractions and destination management companies (DMCs). The participating businesses are assessed either annually or once every two years.

The QA seal was launched in 2008 for DMCs and in 2009 the first companies were awarded. In 2010 the first visitor attractions were awarded and in 2015 the first restaurants were awarded.

The criteria are specific to each category and different methods of assessment are used. The seal is awarded once the QA Monitoring Committee of each category receives and approves the assessor’s report.

 


Destination Management Companies

Quality Assured DMCs must comply with a detailed set of criteria designed to ensure the highest possible quality in event and destination management. This scheme is based on various criteria that contribute towards recognising a quality DMC. Criteria include general liability insurance, three years of operation and financial stability, staff training, efficiency at responding to clients’ requests, and recommendations from clients and suppliers.

The method of assessment consists of a full audit every two years and an interim audit every other year.

For more information about the scheme click here

 


Visitor Attractions

Quality Assured Visitor Attractions must comply with a detailed set of criteria designed in such a way that when an attraction complies with the criteria, the organisation will be improving the way it operates consequently leading to an improved business model.

The scheme consists of 56 criteria, some of which are mandatory. Attractions must satisfy all mandatory requirements and achieve a sufficient score in the remaining criteria. The criteria cover several areas including the quality of content and interpretation, value for money, staff training, cleanliness, layout and comfort, quality of service and visitor feedback among others.

The method of assessment consists of an announced visit every two years.

For more information about the scheme click here

 


Restaurants

The Quality Assured seal is designed to give due recognition to restaurants that offer high quality standards in service, hospitality, food and general environment.  The QA seal is a guideline for potential customers to assist them in making an informed decision about the best places to eat on the Maltese Islands.

The QA seal makes no attempt to enforce restrictive criteria that promotes a formal dining experience or style. Different styles of restaurants having different average spends are eligible for the scheme. Assessment of quality takes into account the standards and expectations appropriate to that style of restaurant. It is only natural that these expectations will be very different. For example, the expectations of a restaurant in a 5-Star Hotel will not be the same as when visiting a bistro-style restaurant.

In the criteria every effort was made to outline all the aspects that are taken into account when making quality assessments. However due to the variety of the restaurants on offer it was impossible to cover every individual characteristic that may be encountered during a visit. For this reason the criteria were designed with both objective and subjective criteria. Whilst the former are clear and self-explanatory, the latter include indicators to consider when awarding points according to a five-point assessment scale.

The method of assessment consists of an annual mystery guest visit and an announced visit every two years.

For more information about the scheme click here