ISO TC 228 TOURISM AND RELATED SERVICES NORMAPME Mirror Committee

This is the Mirror Committee for ISO TC228 - Tourism. The Mirror Committee is the group of SMEs that support the NORMAPME expert in presenting the views of SMEs during the drafting of standard. Important discussion documents, such as draft standards, can be found under [All documents], the [group forum] is where Mirror Committee members can discuss work in progress.

ISO TC228 operates within the domain of the development and proposal of standards on tourism and related services.

In 2004, the European Commission asked European Standardisation Organisations to present a work programme concerning services backing the mandate M340. In this framework, AENOR made a proposal on tourism services, which was rejected later on by CEN. The Spanish standardisation body sent it to ISO, where it was accepted. In April 2005, ISO decided to undertake some work on the basis of the AENOR proposal. The initial scope of the ISO Technical Committee 228 was broad and included the whole tourism sector. At the kick-off meeting, which took place in October 2005, NORMAPME was accepted as liaison member. According to a 2005 NSF/ANSI ( US standardisation body) position, it seems obvious that Americans will promote certification. Certification would be an unbearable burden for European SMEs in the tourism sector. Unfortunately, despite an active campaign we did not manage to reduce the scope of this TC.

ISO TC 228 proposed to create a working group on spas. After consultation of the members (about 30 persons) of NORMAPME ISO TC 228 mirror committee that took place in July 2006, it appeared that the term "spa services" was too wide reaching (as it goes much beyond health cures which aim at treating illnesses) and standards on "spa services" would have an impact on SMEs. In August, the creation of this working group was approved and thanks to Ms Uccella's participation in the first meeting, the scope of the working group was limited to medical spas.

Ms Uccella has been replaced by Mr Vanik when she resigned in January 2008. The work of ISO TC 228 tends to expand in various sub sectors that can be detrimental to SMEs under the impulsion of the Spanish delegation. It remains crucial for SMEs to exclude Hotels and restaurants from the scope of the Spa standardisation activities.

Recently, a "new work idea" appeared as security in tourism. It has been launched in ISO TC 223 but may be endorsed by ISO TC 228. This possibility may lead to such non-sense like a security check before entering the Eiffel Tower or the Acropolis. It goes without saying that all SMEs working thanks to the attraction of such sites may suffer from this possible standard. Thanks to NORMAPME action with the support of National delegations, this idea was abandoned at the last ISO TC 228 plenary meeting in Turkey in 2009.

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This Mirror Committee is managed by Sarah Burke (s.burke@normapme.com). The NORMAPME expert is Mr. Christian Vanik - Christian.Vanik@wko.at