Top hotels and restaurants to vie for new 'gold' awards

Every tourism operator in the country will be eligible for the new award, which is being created to drive up standards.

VisitScotland has agreed to consider online reviews of businesses and attractions, the securing of major industry honours such as Michelin stars, and the level of investment in staff training as major criteria for receiving the new badge of honour.

The scheme will be opened up to hotels, guesthouses, shops, pubs, cafes, restaurants, visitor centres and transport operators, with the first to be awarded "Scotland's Best" status expected to be announced later this year.

Details of the scheme were revealed as it emerged that winners of the tourism industry's main awards are to join forces with VisitScotland to become official ambassadors of excellence.

The creation of the Scottish Thistle Award Winners' Academy is aimed at inspiring a new generation of industry leaders, as well as raising the profile of the event, which is held every October.

The new excellence award, to be launched within weeks, will be run in parallel with VisitScotland's existing "star rating" scheme, of which some 8,900 businesses are members.

VisitScotland will also be creating a new "entry level" award to ensure businesses that are not eligible for the rating system can be officially backed by the tourism body for the first time.

Although VisitScotland is not replacing the star system, it has admitted it sometimes suffers from a perception that it is too restrictive and not inclusive enough.

Tony Mercer, head of quality and standards at VisitScotland, said: "Our star rating system is already way ahead of other countries, with a much greater involvement from businesses in the system.

"We have 70 per cent of eligible businesses on board, compared to under 40 per cent in England, and under 20 per cent in London.

"The new scheme will allow businesses to demonstrate what awards they have won, the kind of customer feedback they have had, and what people are saying about them on travel websites.

"Many businesses have been unable to enter the rating system before but the new scheme means it is open to anyone to apply to be recognised for having the highest standards.

"We are looking for a real commitment to customer care and staff training, evidence of a strong green policy, and that action has been taken to make a business fully accessible.

"We're not setting any kind of quota for the new award, although it is open to all businesses."

VisitScotland chief executive Philip Riddle said: "We want to improve the way we recognise excellence at the very top of the industry and also better reflect the kind of customer experience people are enjoying."

VisitScotland said that the new excellence academy would be opened up to all Thistle Award winners from the past three years.