MGTO promoting catering, travel agency applications for quality certification

The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) is promoting the application for the Quality Tourism Services Accreditation Scheme (QTSAS) among the catering and travel agency sectors in Macau, the office said in a press statement.

Applications for the certification program from these two sectors can be submitted from March 16 to 31 through the MGTO’s dedicated website, the Macao Tourism Industry Net.

As noted in the same statement, the purpose is to promote quality tourism services through the scheme allowing customers to know that such businesses follow services and management standards. In the process, the MGTO hopes that local businesses can learn more about the quality service standards of the industry.

To be eligible for the certification, merchants must have been operating their businesses in Macau for at least one year.

Included among the eligible business types are restaurants and eateries licensed under designated categories, as well as eligible main/branch offices of licensed travel agencies in Macau, provided that they submit the required documents within the application period and fulfill the application criteria. Businesses will qualify for the scheme on a first-come, first-served basis until the quotas in each of the two categories have been filled.

For this year, the QTSAS has set the quotas on participants as 100 catering businesses and 30 travel agencies. Interested merchants can submit applications on Macao Tourism Industry Net (http://industry.macaotourism.gov.mo).

As part of the QTSAS, launched in Macau almost a decade ago, there is a series of awards and accolades that reward businesses in categories such as the “Quality Tourism Services Merchant Award”, “Quality Tourism Services Gold Award”, “Quality Tourism Services Excellence Award” and “Special Theme Award” (including Sustainable Dining Award, Community Care Services Award, Local Feature Award, and Operational Innovation Award) for the catering sector.

Travel agencies can also receive the “Quality Tourism Services Merchant Award.”

Upon passing the assessment, merchants will receive their accreditation certificate, window sticker, and badges, for display at the establishment.

Currently-accredited catering businesses can choose whether to compete for accreditation awards again or to undergo the assessment for the supervision period to maintain their accredited status. If they choose to compete for awards again, they will have to submit new applications to compete for the awards against other new participants.

Currently-accredited travel agencies, however, are not required to apply again. They can keep their accreditation if they continue to satisfy the criteria.