VisitEngland has awarded Lincoln’s sightseeing bus tour 95% on its quality assurance scale, earning it a Gold Accolade.
The Gold Awards are given every year to participants in the Visitor Attraction quality scheme who achieve a high standard, and that the assessor felt were truly deserving of recognition.
Nominations for the accolade are based on a range of feedback, including the annual assessment, observations by the assessor, customer feedback – both directly to VisitEngland and online customer reviews.
Sharon Stone, Corporate Manager responsible for the Sightseeing Tour Bus, said: “This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our Tour Guides and the operator Stagecoach East Midlands – I couldn’t ask for a better team!”
The overall Visitor Attraction Scheme is designed to help visitor attractions to improve, whether through increased visitor numbers, a more engaged visitor experience. The Tour assessment is tailored to the type of experience offered to visitors, in our case, 2,000 years of history with live commentary to include Lincoln’s Magna Carta, the stunning Cathedral and Castle, Roman Lincoln, Aviation Heritage and much more.
Accreditation was awarded based on feedback from a mystery passenger, who turned out to be the Lead Assessor for the UK. The assessment was based on a number of criteria including the branding and appearance of the sightseeing bus, the welcome by trained Tour Guides, the live commentary of 2,000 years of history, our advertising collateral and customer feedback.
VisitEngland Director Andrew Stokes said: “These accolades highlight the wonderful visitor experiences provided by English attractions, from the warmest of welcomes to amazing food and drink, from great storytelling to outstanding customer service.
“Our tourism businesses are the bedrock of our industry and it is wonderful to highlight and celebrate the fantastic service and experiences they give visitors, time-after-time. From museums, gardens and nature reserves to farm attractions, estates and theme parks, these attractions go out of their way to make visits memorable.”
