EXCELTOUR: BUSINESS EXCELLENCE IN TOURISM
It is recognized that the tourism sector in the Black Sea Basin countries has a very positive
impact on employment and income, as it is one of the fastest-growing sectors with high
growth potential. However, nowadays, due to the strong international competition, the
natural beauty of the landscape, the monuments and/or other sights are not enough for a
destination to be characterised as attractive, diversified and competitive. Among other
important features of the tourism product, a dominant role is played by the enterprises
operating in the field and their capacity to offer services of high quality which satisfy the
customers and ensure sustainability of the industry.
As the tourism market is growing, it is getting more and more demanding for the
enterprises to combine better services with competitive prices. Otherwise, the customers
are reoriented to big resorts or, at worst, to different destinations. In any case, this fact,
combined with the financial crisis, is a real long-term threat for the viability of the vast
majority of tourism microenterprises.
Through the project "EXCELTOUR", the 6 partners from 5 countries aim at tackling this
challenge by introducing & applying the concept of Business Excellence in tourism SMEs
using the internationally recognized Excellence Model of the European Foundation for
Quality Management (EFQM) targeting mainly to ensure SUSTAINABILITY of tourism.
The sequence of activities towards this objective is as follows:
Creation of a group of skilled consultants/ facilitators, able to support SMEs
towards the implementation of the EFQM Model and their certification as
Committed to Excellence (training package, joint facilitators' training programme)
Creation of a transnational facilitators' registry
SMEs preparation for certification
SMEs assessment and certification
Experience exchange (study visits) and Networking
The project and especially its transnational character adds value offering important
benefits to its target groups and ensuring sustainability and is expected to have
springboard and multiplier effect:
- The SMEs that will apply the EFQM Model will act as role models in their areas and
abroad.
- The EXCELTOUR Network that will be created, assures the sustainability and
transferability of the outputs and results in a wider geographical area and after the
project.
- Apart of the transnational experience exchange, the study visits will create
transnational business links between visitors and hosts and those links can be developed
into further cooperation.The project was launched on July 3, 2020 and will last 2 years.
This publication was produced with the financial support of the European Union. Its contents
are the sole responsibility of Development Principles NGO and do not necessarily reflect the
views of the European Union.
EXCELTOUR: BUSINESS EXCELLENCE IN TOURISM
It is recognized that the tourism sector in the Black Sea Basin countries has a very positive
impact on employment and income, as it is one of the fastest-growing sectors with high
growth potential. However, nowadays, due to the strong international competition, the
natural beauty of the landscape, the monuments and/or other sights are not enough for a
destination to be characterised as attractive, diversified and competitive. Among other
important features of the tourism product, a dominant role is played by the enterprises
operating in the field and their capacity to offer services of high quality which satisfy the
customers and ensure sustainability of the industry.
As the tourism market is growing, it is getting more and more demanding for the
enterprises to combine better services with competitive prices. Otherwise, the customers
are reoriented to big resorts or, at worst, to different destinations. In any case, this fact,
combined with the financial crisis, is a real long-term threat for the viability of the vast
majority of tourism m ...
