Guidance for prospective self-catering agents and booking operators

Self-catering agencies

Visit Wales works with a number of self-catering agencies throughout Wales. Agencies range in size from those with a few properties on their books right through to those with hundreds of properties.

Regardless of size, all agents who want to work with Visit Wales must sign up and adhere to our Terms and Conditions, available to download below. All properties must be graded by Visit Wales. Different arrangements do apply in terms of assessment frequency and the fees that are paid. Agencies that choose to accept the Terms and Conditions and after receiving an audit of their procedures will become an Accredited Agent

Signed agreement forms and property details should be sent to Visit Wales, Rhodfa Padarn, Llanbadarn Fawr, Aberystwyth, SY23 3UR or e-mailed to quality.tourism@wales.gsi.gov.uk .

Agents should be aware that owners of properties in their portfolio that wish to manage their own data on the Visit Wales website or work with more than one agent should apply for grading independently of the agency.

Owners should also be informed that if they are graded though the agency arrangement and then ‘leave’ the agency, their grading will lapse and they will need to apply for grading independently.

For further information, please contact the Quality Assurance Department on 0845 010 8020 or e-mail quality.tourism@wales.gsi.gov.uk

Booking operators

Visit Wales offers a direct link to websites that offer a booking service for individual businesses, self-catering agencies and marketing/membership organisations.

Before Visit Wales can provide a link, we need to be sure that our policy of only promoting businesses that are accredited either through our own schemes or those recognised by Visit Wales e.g. the Automobile Association (AA) is adhered to.

• Individual businesses must be accredited by Visit Wales or through a scheme recognised by Visit Wales (e.g. the AA). If you are not currently graded, please go the grading section by clicking on the related link to the right for more details on the standards, fees, benefits and how to apply.
• Self-catering agencies must sign up and adhere to the Terms and Conditions that apply, as detailed in the PDF below.
• Membership/marketing organisations must ensure and confirm to Visit Wales in writing that all businesses they are promoting are accredited by Visit Wales or through a scheme that is recognised by Visit Wales.

The Visit Wales Quality Assurance Department is happy to assist you in checking the accreditation status of your members.

If you have any queries or wish to discuss any aspect relating to quality assurance in more detail, please contact us on 0845 010 8020 or by e-mailing quality.tourism@wales.gsi.gov.uk .

If you wish to set up a link from the Visit Wales consumer website, please e-mail info@visitwales.co.uk to confirm that you adhere to our policy as detailed here.