TÜV Austria Hellas Aims for Quality Tourism with Certification Seal for Water Sports Centers

TÜV Austria Hellas, a highly renowned certification and monitoring group specialized in quality and safety, has launched a private certification scheme for licensed water sports centers in Greece.

The first initiative in Europe of its kind, the “Water Sports Certified Quality” certification scheme is the result of a productive cooperation of TÜV Austria Hellas with Greek water sports and tourism professionals, the Safe Water Sports NGO and members of the Hellenic Coast Guard.

The main goals of the certification scheme include the design and implementation of an inspection mechanism concerning the operation of licensed water sports centers, having quality service and safety rules as focal points.

Water sports centers and tourism enterprises – including hotels and resorts that offer water sports activities – that obtain and display the “Water Sports Certified Quality” seal, can provide confidence for guests that they offer safe and quality services.

The scheme also sees to support and enhance the commercial value and branding of every licensed water sports center and enterprise carrying the certification seal.

“Wavesports” water sports center in Perivolos, Santorini. Photo source: Safe Water Sports

“The ‘Water Sports Certified Quality’ seal is another TÜV Austria Hellas breakthrough initiative for the upgrade of services in the tourism sector through quality certification. This is the first time in Europe that a customized protocol for water sports is offered,” TÜV Austria Hellas said in announcement.

Until October 2018, over 20 enterprises offering water sports activities, including the Costa Navarino luxury resort in Messinia, had achieved certification and display the seal in the form of a flag/banner on its premises.

According to the Federation of the Hellenic Associations of Tourist & Travel Agencies (fedHATTA), the “Water Sports Certified Quality” certification is in line with the law on package travel for the protection of travelers regarding the services provided by travel agencies and tour operators during their stay in Greece.

fedHATTA recommends that all its member travel agencies seek the “Water Sports Certified Quality” seal at hotels in Greece that offer leisure water sports activities and this way actively contribute to the prevention of water sports accidents and support the effort of offering safe and high standard accommodation to visitors during their trip.

TÜV Austria Hellas has been active in Greece since 1994 and is a daughter company of the Austrian Organization of Inspection and Certification “TÜV AUSTRIA”, established in 1872 in Vienna.

The company holds one of the leading positions in the Greek market at the sector of Management Systems Certification and Inspections – Certification of Material, Products, Machinery and Equipment, Building and Industrial Installations.