Welcome to the Visit Wales Adventure Activity Assurance Scheme (VWAAAS). This voluntary non-statutory scheme has been developed in partnership with the Wales Adventure Tourism Organisation (WATO) & Mountain Training’s Association (MTA) and is required for those adventure activity businesses who wish to be listed on VisitWales.com. It aims to provide Wales residents and visitors with a quick and easy way to select adventure and outdoor recreation activity businesses based on their ability to deliver safe and effective industry practice.
The scheme provides confidence that risk-managed, high-quality adventure activity and outdoor recreation provision is available across Wales and enables people to recognise adventure activity and outdoor recreation businesses who offer:
- sustainable adventure and outdoor recreation activity tourism
- good practice and standards of safety and customer care
What is assurance?
Assurance is the confidence that information, processes and/or systems of operation are reliable and credible. There are a number of different routes to demonstrating assurance. The Visit Wales Adventure Activity Assurance Scheme (VWAAAS) acknowledges this and provides the opportunity for:
- Businesses to demonstrate prior engagement in a ‘three-party relationship’ with an external assurance provider (Route 1)
- Businesses to engage with a Visit Wales nominated Technical Consultant where suitable criteria (Standards of Practice) have been set, against which sufficient & appropriate evidence is provided & confirmed by an activity observation, concluding in a written report (Route 2), and,
- Sole Trader walking, climbing & mountaineering professionals offering activities pertaining to Mountain Training (MT) qualifications to demonstrate compliance by providing sufficient & appropriate evidence to meet agreed criteria (Route 3).
All three routes to assurance require businesses / sole traders to acknowledge that customer care standards are met and adventure activity sector ‘good practice’ is upheld in line with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the associated Regulations.
The organisations involved
Visit Wales
Visit Wales is the Welsh Government team responsible for the development and promotion of the visitor economy in Wales. Its role is as an enabler and partner – providing the investment, support and marketing to grow the sector and the sector’s contribution to wider Welsh life.
Wales Adventure Tourism Organisation (WATO)
WATO is a national forum established to link existing outdoor sector organisations in Wales’ three National Park areas, with the aim of sharing ‘good practice’ across the outdoor sector in Wales.
WATO functions regionally through:
- Pembrokeshire Outdoor Charter Group (POCG)
- Snowdonia-Active (S-A)
- South Wales Outdoor Activity Providers Group (SWOAPG)
WATO acknowledges adventure where the focus is on engaging with the natural environment in a physically challenging manner; where skill and an element of risk are central to the experience and the participant seeks to appreciate the aesthetic qualities of the natural environment in a peaceful manner. WATO listed activities comprise of core ‘guided activities’ that fall within this adventure and outdoor recreation activity sector definition.
Mountain Training’s Association (MTA)
Mountain Training's Association is the membership organisation within Mountain Training for all candidates of any of its qualifications - walking leaders, climbing instructors, coaches and/or camping leaders.
The scheme
The scheme has been developed for all businesses, both large and small, that provide adventure activities and outdoor recreation, as defined by WATO listed activities and wish to be listed on VisitWales.com.
The scheme offers three possible routes to assurance depending on the type of business you are (see Flow Chart to determine your route). Each of the routes are subject to Visit Wales’ 10 standards of practice which have been developed to:
- support businesses in their delivery of safe and effective practice
- support businesses in meeting the expectations of Visit Wales for sustainable adventure activity tourism, and the adventure activity/outdoor recreation sector ‘good practice’ requirements
- promote and assure quality of practice
- support businesses in assuring and demonstrating the standard of ‘customer care’
- support businesses and those who purchase services or use adventure activity businesses, to evaluate the standard of adventure activity tourism and outdoor recreation provision.
The information that follows should help you to determine your eligibility and choose the route that best reflects your current activity provision. Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate in contacting us at: quality.tourism@gov.wales
Routes Available
Route One: Visit Wales (Recognised UK Accreditation) Adventure Activity Assurance Scheme
Route One acknowledges UK accreditation/assurance schemes that involve an audit of a business which includes its risk management systems, an observation of an activity(s), and provides feedback following the visit that acknowledges that adventure activity sector ‘good practice’ has been demonstrated, in line with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the associated Regulations.
NB: Memberships or affiliations with National Governing Bodies (NGBs), Awarding Bodies (ABs), or Professional Bodies (PBs), and your individual competencies, may form part of an accreditation scheme. However, they do not constitute accreditation/assurance for the purposes of Route One.
Examples of UK Accreditation Schemes, including National Governing Body & Awarding Body schemes recognised by Visit Wales (whilst not definitive) can be found here.
Benefits
- A listing on VisitWales.com for a period of 3 years, after which you will be required to renew the process
- Business visibility – to highlight the expectations of sustainable adventure activity tourism and the outdoor sector ‘good practice’ requirements to those who purchase services or use outdoor practitioners
- Consumer confidence – assurance and demonstration of good standards of customer care
Next Steps
If, having checked through all the information provided, you have identified that you and/or your business are eligible to continue with Route One, please complete the adventure activity provider self-certification form. You will be required to list all the activities you provide as well as evidence of your current accredited/assured status. Only activities covered by your current accredited/assured status will be listed. There is no cost to you for this.
NB: In completing and submitting your self-certification form, you will be agreeing to meet the Visit Wales Standards of Practice.
If, having checked through all the information provided you have identified that you and/or your businesses are NOT eligible to continue at this stage with Route One, please proceed to Route Two.
Route Two: Visit Wales (WATO) Adventure Activity Assurance Scheme
Route Two provides the opportunity for all adventure activity and outdoor recreation businesses who do not hold UK accreditation/assurance as noted in Route One but wish to be listed on VisitWales.com. This route involves engaging with a Visit Wales nominated Technical Consultants., for which a fee is paid directly to the Technical Consultant.
Good practice within the adventure and outdoor recreation activity sector includes regular engagement with a technical advisor/consultant to support the provider’s assessment of risks, identification of the safety measures needed with management arrangements to give effectiveness to these measures, and a sound knowledge of hazards and accepted ‘good practice’ as to what is reasonably practicable to ensure the safety of participants.
Visit Wales and WATO have identified Technical Consultants. within Wales to fulfil Route Two’s consultation requirements. They will carry out a consultation, in line with the Visit Wales Standards of Practice and submit a report, as required by Visit Wales. The cost of engaging with a Visit Wales Nominated Technical Consultant is £275 plus expenses.
The technical consultant will outline the process and requirements of the consultation. This will include:
- An audit of your business
- An observation of an activity(s)
- An acknowledgment that the Visit Wales Standards of Practice have been met
- Feedback following the visit
Evidence of the above will be sent to the Senior Technical Consultant for verification. Once verified, the report will be sent to you and forwarded to Visit Wales.
Benefits
- As for Route One, plus
- Meaningful consultation with a Visit Wales nominated Technical Consultant
- A report that highlights your business strengths as well as opportunities for business developments
- Confirmation of how your provision relates to adventure activity sector ‘good practice’
- Top tips and handy hints
- Access to sound up-to-date advice and guidance relating to your business and sector ‘good practice’
- Signposting to further business advice and support
Next Steps
Engage with a Visit Wales Nominated Technical Consultant, for which a fee is paid directly to the Technical Consultant.
Once your consultation is successfully completed and you are in receipt of your report, verified by the Senior Technical Consultant, please complete the adventure activity provider self-certification form. You will be required to list all the activities you provide (as detailed in your verified report). This enables us to complete the application process.
Route Three: Route Three: Visit Wales (WATO & MTA) Assurance Scheme (for Walking, Climbing & Mountaineering Professionals)
Route Three is for Sole Traders offering activities in Wales pertaining to Mountain Training (MT) leading, instructing and coaching qualifications only e.g. Lowland Leader, Hill & Moorland Leader, Mountain Leader, Climbing Wall Instructor, Rock Climbing Instructor. Where additional activities e.g. Coasteering, Kayaking, SUP etc. are offered / provided, you will need to refer to either Route One or Route Two.
NB: Where freelance mountain professionals are contracted to support the delivery of the mountain activities acknowledged in the Application Form & Self Declaration, the Sole Trader ensures they have suitable and sufficient arrangements in place for the freelancer to fulfil their assigned duties, including: Professional Association (PA) Membership (MTA, AMI, BAIML, BMG), evidence of current competence, insurance and an understanding & acknowledgement of the Sole Trader’s health, safety and risk management systems (see Self-Declaration for details). Where there is a need to sub-contract the delivery of services to a third party, the Sole Trader is to ensure: a clear division of responsibility is in place which is communicated to all clients and they are a Visit Wales Adventure Activity Assurance Scheme (VW AAAS) assured provider
To enable a listing on VisitWales.com via Route Three, you must:
- Hold a Mountain Training (MT) qualification & a relevant current First Aid qualification
- Be a full member of one of the following Professional Associations (PA):
- Hold appropriate Public and Product Liability Insurance
- Demonstrate currency of competency by maintaining your respective Professional Association’s recognised Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements
Benefits
- A listing on VisitWales.com for a period of 3 years, after which you will need to renew the process
- Business visibility - to highlight the expectations of sustainable adventure activity tourism and the outdoor sector ‘good practice’ requirements to those who purchase services or use outdoor practitioners
- Consumer confidence – assurance and demonstration of good standards of customer care
Next Steps
If you are able to fulfil the requirements noted above, you are eligible to make an application. The application process will ask you to provide:
- Personal details
- Evidence that you meet the requirements noted above NB: Evidence may be in the form of qualification, first aid & insurance certificates, MT DLog.
- A signed and dated Self Declaration Form confirming you have measures in place to meet:
- UK Legislation requirements
- UK outdoor and adventure sector’s standards of ‘good practice’
- Visit Wales Standards of Practice
- NB: In signing the Self-Declaration you are agreeing, when asked, to provide evidence to show how you comply with UK legislation, the UK outdoor sector’s standards of ‘good practice’ & the Visit Wales Standards of Practice.
1 in 5 Sole Traders / Businesses will be spot checked and required to provide relevant evidence. Failure to supply the required evidence will result in removal from the listing on VisitWales.com. Where the evidence provided does not meet the required standard, the listing will be suspended and Sole Traders / Businesses will be required to resubmit the required evidence to one of the Visit Wales nominated Technical Consultant, which may include an activity observation and will incur a fee payable directly to the technical consultant before a listing is re-instated.
The listing on VisitWales.com is for a maximum of 3 years (as indicated on your certification) as long as:
- your professional association membership is maintained together with your CPD requirements,
- you hold a current first aid certificate,
- you hold professional indemnity & public liability insurance.
Visit Wales will notify you 3 months before renewal. Failure to renew the process will result in the removal of your listing. You will be considered as a new application should you wish to feature on the website at a later stage.
NB: Failure to maintain any of the above will result in removal of your listing and your Professional Association being notified.
And finally!
Once your application has been accepted and added to the database, we will:
- provide you with a Route specific certification of Visit Wales Adventure Activity Assurance, and
- forward your details to the Visit Wales Data Steward who will email you with login details for you to be able to complete your details to your product listing on VisitWales.com.
It is your responsibility to maintain your details on the product listing.
Should you wish to add any activities to your product listing which are not listed on your certificate, contact quality.tourism@gov.wales. The product listing lasts for 3 years (as indicated on your certificate), after which you will be notified by Visit Wales to repeat the process.
We look forward to sharing your business details with Wales’ residents and visitors, in the knowledge and confidence that risk-managed, high-quality adventure and outdoor recreation activity provision is available across Wales.
Frequently Asked Questions?
- I already have qualifications (e.g Mountain Bike Leader, Paddlesport Instructor) and I'm insured so why do I need to engage with a Technical Consultant?
- None of the Technical Consultants specialise in my activity - what do I do now?
- How much does it cost?
- Find the answers and more here!
Testimonials
Nia Lloyd Knott - 'Wild Trails Wales'
I had been wanting to take our business through the Visit Wales Assurance process for some time; as a company providing adventure activities for visitors to Wales it felt important to have this stamp of approval and to know we were operating to a nationally recognised standard………read more!
