(Prensa.com) Travel agencies, tour guides and hotels looking for a uniform standard that the service they provide to have a certification of quality that distinguishes a good or bad service.
The first stage began with a public consultation is underway. Subsequently, the Panama Tourism Authority will convene a public tender to choose the company that will have the task of granting certification to companies that meet quality standards.
This project will involve a pilot project to be developed with 10 companies from each segment to be measuring the effectiveness of the process.
The president of the National Chamber of Tourism (Camptur), Annette Cardona, said to be a competitive destination requires not only have infrastructure, but also have a seal of quality.
He added that the process will cover a period of training for existing staff, as it is in the process of recruitment.
The introduction of quality standards seek to get in tune with global market trends and international competitiveness requires strengthening.
Colombia, Argentina, Chile and Mexico are countries with a set of rules governing the quality of service provided by the industry without chimneys.
Panama is moving slowly on this trend.
In the case of travel agents, who number about 140 nationwide, there is the development of internal audit once a year, having a quality manual and develop an effective system of quality management, among other things .
For tour operators in addition to ensuring expertise, must master a second language and have expertise developed under the area where phone service.
For example, if it is an adventure tour guide must possess skills to deal with difficult situations, locating missing persons, among others.
The hotels added together to monitor the quality standards of service. He even added basic rules of conduct, such as cuts to the visitor.
Laying down provisions to respond adequately by phone, mail and in person.
You will develop surveys to measure attention.
The hotel business is very dynamic in the country, it is expected that construction of new hotels will generate about 10 thousand jobs.
Angelo Paredes, president of the Association of Tour Operators Tourism, indicated that it seeks to structure the performance of each company, from the handling of documentation and the various services offered to tourists.
It includes senior management figure to be the person responsible for establishing quality policies, to transmit them to all levels and train staff.
At the end of 2010, tourist spending was $ 1.676 million, this meant an increase of 13% over the end of 2009, when the record was $ 1.463 million.