International Visitor Experience
Title Sponsor
www.saffery.com
International Visitor Experience
Who can enter?
All sectors of the tourism industry can apply if they can demonstrate that they have gone the extra mile
to deliver an outstanding experience for international visitors eg visitor attractions, accommodation,
business/convention centres, language schools or activity providers.
The category is intended for businesses that are targeting international visitors as a substantive
proportion of their overall business – probably in excess of 10% - and aiming for growth in this. More
importantly, it is for businesses that are offering international visitors an outstanding experience through
digital communications, well trained staff and suitable facilities.
You may submit one electronic PDF or word document (not lots of files in one folder) as supporting
evidence. This is voluntary and NOT essential for the Awards. If submitted the document should be less
than 5mb in size and the information provided should be used only to illustrate points made in your
entry form, otherwise it will be disregarded. If you wish to include images please do so in your
supporting evidence not on this entry form.
Judges will refer to your website and review sites for additional information and verification, including
evidence of environmental and access policies.
Please give details here of the individual who will be the point of contact for the awards.
Contact Name:
Business Name:
Address:
County:
Telephone number:
Email (for us to contact you):
Twitter:
Website address:
Do you have any professional accreditations?
Please state any periods each year when your experience is unavailable?
Please state how long you have been offering this experience?
How many staff do you employ (full and part time, including yourselves)?
Please give a brief history of your business. (max 200 words)
Please list all awards achieved in the last two years, including title, organising body, level and dates
achieved (150 words)
Visitor numbers and Seasonality
Please visitor numbers for the last 12 months and how this compares to the previous year.
Please state period eg Jan to Dec, April to March etc
Last 12 months
Previous year
Total visitor numbers for year
What percentage were international visitors, if known?
%
%
Visitors during peak season (April to September)
Visitors during low season (October to March)
Please explain your figures, and describe how your business is contributing towards Dorset being a
vibrant and welcoming visitor destination for international visitors all year. (max 200 words)
Checklist
In your answer think about the following:
 Whether visitor numbers have gone up, or down, and why?
 Estimates of the value/spend of your international visitors
 Any products, packages, partnerships or promotions you have implemented to improve low season
numbers
 Check you have completed the visitor number figures
Section 1: Commitment to Excellence
a) Please state your unique selling points with regard to international visitors? What makes you the
best, puts you above the competition and at the top of your sector? (200 words max)
Checklist
Evidence might include:
 Your USPs
 Customer testimonials about your USPs
 Mission statement describing your values
 Any information that supports why you are at the top of your sector
b) Please provide details of how you have developed your business to cater for international visitors.
(max 200 words)
Checklist
Evidence might include:
 Meeting different menu preferences
 Changes to bedding and pillows
 Provision of electrical adapters
c) Please describe your approach to customer care with regard to these visitors and how you ensure they
experience the highest quality service before, during and after their visit eg handling enquiries, bookings,
during and post visit, dealing with complaints. (max 300 words)
Checklist
Evidence might include:
 Information you provide to your visitors when booking, on arrival and follow up
 Is information available in other languages?
 Do your staff speak other languages?
 How you give a warm welcome and go the extra mile to exceed your visitors expectations eg
feedback/testimonials relating to customer service
Section 2: Innovative Marketing
Have you carried out any research into overseas markets and how does your product fit with the
audience you are targeting?
Explain briefly how you attract international business, including any innovative promotional campaigns
and what impact they have had. Provide evidence of how you monitored the success of any initiatives.
(max 300 words)
Checklist
Evidence might include:
 Your target markets, including countries of residence and demographics
 Your marketing plan, materials, examples of innovative promotional campaigns you have run and
how you measure success
 Links to online marketing activities and evidence of how you optimise your website to achieve
maximum impact
 How you engage with your customers and social media online eg blogs, replying to ratings on
Tripadvisor.com
 How your marketing embraces the different languages and cultures of international visitors
 Use of international search engines, social media channels, etc
 Examples of how you use customer testimonials and feedback
Judges will separately look at websites on PCs and tablets, along with use of social media etc
Section 3: Staff Training and Development
Please give details of your staff (and your own) training and development activities during the past two
years and how has it improved the visitor experience/service to guests for overseas visitors. (max 200
words)
Checklist
Evidence might include:
 Your training plan, copies of staff induction and appraisal
 Training undertaken eg Welcome Host International etc
 Details of the investment in training made for you and your staff
 How training has improved your customers’ experience
 Any awards or accreditation you have received
Please note that it is a requirement of entry that entrants agree to waive or refund the
admission/participation and catering cost of a mystery visit should the entry be
successful in being short listed. A mystery visit will normally comprise a visit for 2 guests
possibly including a meal and relevant refreshments, depending on the nature of the
experience. The visit will result in a full report being given to the entrant. Receipt of your
entry is taken as agreement to this requirement. If your internal procedures require you
to issue a purchase order or set up Services for Tourism Ltd as a supplier, please ensure
this is done without delay. Feedback will be available.
Please email your entry AS A ‘WORD’ DOCUMENT to awards@services4tourism.co.uk by the
close date for the Awards, published at www.dorsettourismawards.org.uk. (DO NOT convert to
pdf, as this prevents judges checking word counts).
A supplementary file, if sent, should be no more than 5mb in size, should have a file name that
includes your business name, and should also be emailed to the above address. Please note
that supplementary files are voluntary and NOT essential for these awards, but that Judges will
look at online evidence such as websites, review sites, etc.
All entrants will be advised of their judges’ scores and how these compare with maximum
scores in the category.
Future communications will be from Services for Tourism Ltd, who are managing the Dorset
Tourism Awards. Their email address is: awards@services4tourism.co.uk. Please add this
address to your address book, to avoid communications being treated as Spam/Junk; if you do
not add this address and are awaiting news please ensure you check your Spam/Junk folders to
see if news is being filtered out.
What happens next?
The initial judging will be based on the information provided within the application form along
with websites, review sites such as TripAdvisor and other external sources. At least five
businesses will normally be short listed in the first stage of judging for each category. All
entrants will receive feedback. Short listed businesses will be visited (mystery shopped where
possible). In general we will try to visit or mystery shop as many businesses as we can.
Good Luck
All entry forms are copyright Services for Tourism Ltd 2015.