This is because only tourist information offices that offer very good quality advice, comprehensive tourist information and additional services for guests can receive the award. The DTV has defined the service standards for the i-Mark nationwide. Not all tourist information offices meet these standards.
In Hachenburg, the DTV first checked whether the 12 minimum criteria were met. This involves the infrastructure, for example the signposting of the tourist information on access routes. In addition, the staff must be qualified, so at least one employee must have completed further training in the last two years. Above all, it is about service - the tourist information office must, for example, provide free basic tourist information about the town and the region in digital and print form.
Once these basic requirements had been met, a comprehensive quality check was carried out on site. Exactly 40 criteria are on the checklist: The outdoor facilities and the spatial equipment of the tourist information can be analyzed in detail. The information on offer is checked to see whether there are local or regional tourist cards, public transport offers for tourists and whether guests receive important information on sights and events. Since 2024, new criteria have been added on the subject of sustainability, which further underline the quality awareness of today's tourists. The inspectors also check the personnel service, i.e. whether, for example, support for foreign guests is guaranteed by the constant presence of at least one person to provide information in English.
The team at Hachenburger Westerwald Tourist Information is delighted with the outstanding result of the test procedure: "We are proud to have successfully passed the quality control and also to have performed very well in the unannounced tests. We achieved 99 of the required 120 points, i.e. with 83% we are above the state average (77%) and the national average (73%)," says Lisa Effert, Head of Tourist Information.
The Hachenburg Westerwald Tourist Information Office can now advertise with the i-Mark for three years. Then, in 2027, a new, comprehensive review is due.