A quality seal of approval

Visitors to the popular Matisse Museum will be assured of excellent customer service with the quality seal

However this time it's the cultural heritage of the PACA region that will be recognised for its excellence and value. As the tourism industry becomes more and more competitive, the PACA region is setting its sights on offering a quality cultural stay for all tourists. Therefore, a fresh look will be given to a dozen specially selected sites in 2012 to not only define the Riviera's position as a cultural gem, but also to attract more tourists to our region.  

The CRT (Comité Régional de tourisme) Riviera Côte d'Azur has already piloted the brand in three tourist hubs located in the PACA region including the Matisse Museum in Nice, the Henry Clews Chateau in Mandelieu la Napoule and the Saorge Monastery. Thanks to the project's success, ten more sites are set to join the prestigious programme. The plan, 'lieux de visite et sites culturels', was launched by the CRT in November 2011 and will kick off in January 2012.

The sites to feature the quality label include a host of museums, historical sites, theme parks and public gardens. Placed at the entrance of these will be a red, white and blue logo promising a high standard of service, assistance and level of professionalism to visitors. 

It follows a recent study by the Côte d'Azur CRT, which showed that visiting cultural heritage sites and museums, is the third most popular thing to do in our region. However, 41 per cent of visitors feel that much more could be done to improve the welcome, service and general information of these cultural sites. The quality tourism label also aims to help position France as the number one tourist destination in the world. 

What will the brand offer customers?

The 'Quality Tourism' label is already used within the hotel, restaurant, cafe, tourism offices and transport sectors. Now applied to cultural heritage sites, it aims not only to meet the wishes of its existing customers but also to attract new clientele. 

It ensures that each establishment is equipped with the best information, research, staff and security available. 

Equally important, it also means that information and tours should be available in a variety of foreign languages. 

Sarah Lloyd