The QualityCoast Award

The QualityCoast Award provide an independent international certification of sustainability aspects of coastal and island destinations. 5 Award levels exist, depending on the extension of the evaluation and on the performance of the destination in sustainability efforts. With a new two-tier approach, combining the QualityCoast policy awards (Bronze to Platinum) and the QualityCoast BasiQ award, the QualityCoast programme will be better able to inform consumers about sustainability aspects of an increasing number of destinations.

• The QualityCoast policy awards (Platinum to Bronze)

To apply for this category of awards, the local government(s) needs to provide detailed information not only on the situation (attractiveness of the destination) but mainly on the policies and efforts towards sustainability.

The profile of a QualityCoast Award destination: (at least a) sufficient level of sustainability of the tourism product and appropriate policy performance in the areas of nature, environment, identity and socio–economics, according to international standards.

In applications for QualityCoast policy awards information must be provided for ca. 70 core indicators (including the 30 “BasiQ” status indicators, see below); additional information for ca. 40 optional indicators is welcome. Indicators represent four categories: 1. Nature; 2. Environment; 3. Identity and 4. Socio-economics.
Evaluation: QualityCoast International Secretariat (Leiden), assisted by National Secretariats and experts.
Certification by: the QualityCoast International Jury, composed of independent national experts, chaired by EUCC’s President, Belgium Minister of State Mr Johan Vande Lanotte. For some countries the International Jury is working on the basis of National QualityCoast Juries.
Applicants with a sufficient score (5.7 minimum on a scale of 0-10) receive a QualityCoast policy award (certificate, banner and flag) for 2 years.

All QualityCoast policy award winners are mentioned in the ‘2012 QualityCoast Top 100’ list.

Preparing a QualityCoast Award application takes a substantial effort (one or two weeks preparation work by a local authority officer) and an evaluation procedure of several months. But there are also numerous benefits for the awarded communities: for a detailed description, please have a look at the related topic: Benefits for the QualityCoast destinations.

One year after the application the QualityCoast destinations are requested to update their information for the public website and brochure(s). Each two years, the destinations awarded with QualityCoast policy award will be requested to submit an updated QualityCoast Application form to be reviewed again by the QualityCoast Jury. The assessment of the new application will take into consideration the coherence between the improvements indicated in the previous one and the integration of the suggestions and notes indicated by the QualityCoast Jury.

Performing the application for the QualityCoast policy awards takes a substantial effort and a procedure of several months. But there are also numerous benefits for the awarded communities: please have a look at the related on this site.

Since 2007, 35 coastal communities from 13 European countries have received the QualityCoast Award. The only region where all communities have met the QualityCoast Award requirements (2010), are the Azores (Portugal).

• The QualityCoast BasiQ award

The QualityCoast BasiQ award was launched in 2011 as a certification of the attractiveness of coastal tourism destinations from the point of view of tourists interested in natural and cultural heritage, local identity, environment and sustainability. QualityCoast BasiQ does not look at policy reports or their implementation.

The profile of a QualityCoast BasiQ destination: highly attractive for visitors interested in a green, clean and/or culture destination; potential quality in sustainable tourism product.
BasiQ scans are based upon ca. 30 indicators (that are also among the mandatory indicators of the QualityCoast policy awards).
Validation, evaluation and certification: same as QualityCoast policy awards.
Destinations with a minimum BasiQ score of 7 (on a scale of 0-10) are eligible for a QualityCoast BasiQ Award.
Winners of the BasiQ Award will receive a special flag but their status will only be valid for 1 year.

Compared to the application for the QualityCoast policy awards, preparing a QualityCoast BasiQ scan takes less time. Therefore, QualityCoast BasiQ is also a very useful tool for (self-) assessment of coastal communities; it is a suitable first test for destinations that consider applying for the more prestigious QualityCoast policy award.

Till Oct 2011, the QualityCoast BasiQ scan has been performed for international (coastal) tourism destinations in the following countries:

• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Cyprus
• Germany
• Greece
• Slovenia
• Malta
• France
• Spain
• Portugal
• Italy
• The Netherlands
  

In 2011-‘12, more international coastal tourism destinations will be scanned including in Denmark, the United Kingdom and Ireland.

All QualityCoast indicator sets take the scores from various other eco-labels into account, such as the number of Blue Flags, Travelife and Green Key accommodations.

QualityCoast awarded destinations and especially their own tourism marketing can benefit from the QualityCoast Joint Marketing Programme, please see the related page on this site.

Unsuccessful applicants for the QualityCoast policy awards Award will receive an Assessment Report with the findings of the QualityCoast Jury. This report will include suggestions on improvements on weak aspects encouraging the Partner to improve its performance. If the QualityCoast policy award is not granted, a Progress Certificate may be given to the coastal communities that have shown clear efforts to improve, and consider improvements in the future. An application can be unsuccessful as a result of a lack of information provided by the applicant. Therefore, unsuccessful applicants are encouraged to improve their application file and resubmit; within six months after the first application there will be no additional cost for the applicant. And all registered applicants, whether successful or not, will be invited to the annual QualityCoast Workshop.