Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO) presented 86 awards to different categories of restaurants and food and beverage establishments with a Star Merchant Award for their quality tourism services in 2014, with four recognised by the Service Star Award. The awards were announced at a gala dinner held in December.

Dedicated to ‘strengthening industry training and management and enhancing tourism service quality’ as one of its main priorities, MGTO launched the Quality Tourism Services Accreditation Scheme (QTSAS) last April, seeking not only to establish service quality standards for the tourism industry but to encourage and support industry partners to provide exemplary services. The scheme’s objective is also to recognise tourism businesses for excellent services provided to customers and deserving service management. The scheme - which provides for the accolades of Star Merchant Award and Service Star Award - targeted the catering industry in 2014 but intends to extend the QTSAS initiative to other tourism-related industries in Macau in the future.

MGTO examined the performance of four licensed categories; namely, ‘Deluxe Restaurant’, ‘First Class Restaurant’, ‘Second Class Restaurant’ and ‘Food & Beverage Establishments’. Commencing in May, 99 participating businesses were assessed by Service Management System Audit and by Mystery Shoppers with regard to management level and frontline service. Some 86 qualified merchants received the Star Merchant Award for their quality tourism services in 2014, with four recognised by the Service Star Award.

MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes said, “Being an international tourist city, Macau has all the motives to keep improving and developing its tourism facilities and products. More than that, we shall not cease upgrading our service quality, considering it as one of the key factors that determine visitors' travel experience in Macau and their impression about the city,” adding that local industry partners are imperative in fostering the quality improvement of local tourism services demanded of the World Centre of Tourism and Leisure that Macau aspires to be.

Each awarded merchant was presented an accreditation Star Merchant Award certificate, valid for a period of three years and for display on their premises.

MGTO has held an array of activities to support the scheme including an explanation session about the QTSAS assessment criteria and a mid-term session for participating merchants to share their progress, as well as other training opportunities to galvanise frontline staff. MGTO also produced a special video to promote the scheme and will continue to do so through bus advertisements and other appropriate media.

Some 24 Deluxe Restaurants, 22 First Class Restaurants, 13 Second Class Restaurants and 27 F&B establishments were awarded the Star Merchant Award, with one merchant from each category also presented the Service Star Award.

The list of awarded restaurants and food and beverage establishments is available at: http://en.macautourism.gov.mo/plan/qtsas.php