Six agro-pensions of Moldova were included in the international tourism network CerTour. These were certified according to the international standards and will be thus able to attract more clients, but to also contribute to the developing national tourism. In a news conference at IPN, the Tourism Development Association’s head Viorel Miron said the six agro-pensions were included in an international database that will enable them to promote their services on foreign markets.
Viorel Miron noted that the CerTour certification system was created within the 2007-2013 Black Sea Basin Program, which covers Greece, Bulgaria, Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The goal of the project is to promote agritourism in the partner countries and to improve the quality of services by implementing common quality standards and a certification process.
According to the Association’s head, by implementing the quality model CerTour, the pensions prove the high quality of the services they provide. The owners of the agro-pensions improve their operational and financial results. “There was assessed the performance of the agro-pensions’ personnel and equipment, the tourist offer and the tourist’s capacity to integrate into local activities. Attention was drawn to cleanness and prices,” said Viorel Miron.
The owners of the agro-pensions said they needed such certification in order to promote their services abroad. Ludmila Buzila, owner of one of the six agro-pensions, said the small pensions welcomed this certificate. “We assessed ourselves. Experts came to our pensions and spoke to us and we made effort to improve the conditions. We assumed huge responsibility,” she said.
The quality certificates were issued to the agro-tourist pensions “Eco-resort Butuceni”, “Casa din Lunca”, “
“Hanul lui Hangan”, “Fata Morgana”, “Casa Verde”, and “Vila Roz”.
The agro-pensions were certified within the CerTour Quality Certification System in Agritourism Project. A transnational expert group was set up within the project to support the local entrepreneurs and to put into practice the certification process. The project was implemented in May 2013 – December 2015 with financial support from the EU.
