Today, Turismo de Portugal presented a new Certification Scheme for Thermal Establishments at the Lisbon School of Hospitality and Tourism, based on Portuguese Standard ISO 21426:2022. This is a fundamental step towards qualifying the national health and wellness tourism offering and strengthening Portugal's competitiveness as a destination of excellence in this segment.
Voluntary adherence to this certification is a strategic tool for thermal establishments seeking to differentiate themselves in the market, ensuring high standards of quality, sustainability, and trust in service provision. ISO 21426:2022 establishes a comprehensive set of requirements focused on customer experience, service quality, operational management and the enhancement of thermal resources, in line with international best practices.
Within this new framework, Turismo de Portugal has signed a cooperation agreement with the Portuguese Institute for Quality (IPQ), which aims to ensure the registration of the certification mark and the respective regulations for its use, thereby reinforcing the credibility and rigour of the process.
Certification is awarded by bodies accredited by IPAC – Portuguese Accreditation Institute, following an audit of the applicant establishments, allowing certified entities to publicly affirm their compliance with recognised standards of quality and professionalism.
Turismo de Portugal will continue to promote and raise awareness in the sector about the
importance of certification, encouraging operators to adopt practices that enhance the
quality of thermal spa services and contribute to the
sustainable development of health and wellness tourism throughout the country.
