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The System of Measures for Excellence
in Destinations (SMED)
Tourism destinations should sustain or enhance the geographical character of a place – its
environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage and the well-being of its residents.
The CED’s foremost priority is the design and the implementation of the System of Measures for
Excellence in Destinations, or SMED. This unique system focuses on short-term and long-term goals
of sustainable tourism. Destinations evaluated using the SMED benefit by receiving concrete and
feasible recommendations for strategic interventions and continuous improvement.
Es prioridad del CED el diseño e implementación del Sistema de Medidas para la Excelencia de los
Destinos o SMED. Este sistema único está enfocado a metas de corto y largo plazo de turismo
sustentable. Los destinos evaluados utilizando el SMED se benefician al recibir recomendaciones
concretas y viables para colaboraciones estratégicas y progreso permanente.
La priorité du CED est d'abord et avant tout la conception et l'implantation du Système de Mesures
de l’Excellence des Destinations, ou SMED. Ce système novateur établit des objectifs à court et à
long terme en matière de tourisme durable. Les destinations évaluées par le SMED profiteront de
recommandations concrètes et réalisables visant l'amélioration continue.
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The SMED: Working in El SMED: Trabajando Le SMED : Un travail
partnership with en sociedad con los en partenariat avec
destinations destinos les destinations
Depending upon the tourism Dependiendo de la estructura Selon la structure touristique
structure in a given country, turística en un país determina- d'un pays donné, les partenaires
partners within a destination do, los socios al interior de un de la destination pourraient
may be public or public-private destino pueden ser organismos provenir d'organismes publics
sector bodies responsible for tanto del sector público como ou semi-publics voués au
tourism development, promo- del sector público-privado, développement du tourisme, à
tion or management at the local, responsables del desarrollo sa promotion ou à sa gestion à
regional, provincial or national turístico, promoción o adminis- l'échelle locale, régionale ou
level, as well as stakeholders tración a nivel municipal, estatal nationale, ainsi que toutes par-
active in caring for the destina- o federal, así como los actores ties prenantes concernées dans
tion as a whole. que actúan de forma global en l’ensemble de la destination.
el destino.
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Benefits of the SMED and how it can be used
The SMED allows partner destinations to build upon their strengths and identify key issues to be
addressed. In today’s fiercely competitive global tourism market, the information provided by the
SMED can give destinations an important competitive edge.
In addition, the SMED brings added value to partner destinations that key stakeholders may use as a:
En suma, el SMED da un valor agregado a los destinos socios cuyos actores clave pueden utilizarlo como:
En outre, le SMED constitue une valeur ajoutée pour les destinations partenaires puisque les parties
prenantes de la destination pourront utiliser cet outil polyvalent de plusieurs façons :
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Diagnostic tool: Progress tool:
The SMED provides the most complete The SMED highlights the destination’s
and accurate portrait possible of a strengths and weaknesses, thus
tourist destination at a given point in allowing destination stakeholders to
time. take concrete steps to maintain and
improve performance.
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Management tool: Collaboration tool:
The SMED recommends monitoring The SMED can be used to unite
and follow-up actions for improvement destination stakeholders by mobilizing
to be undertaken in light of evaluation them around strategic goals and joint
results. actions aimed at developing the
sustainable performance of the
destination.
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Market positioning tool: Comparative analysis tool: Communication tool:
The SMED brings a destination’s The SMED can be used to com- The SMED evaluation recog-
unique characteristics and pare one destination with oth- nizes strengths the destination
attributes to the fore, allowing ers, or to world destination can use in communications
the destination to refine and benchmarks, making collective addressed to its target
improve its market positioning experience and best practices clienteles and the media.
and brand definition. available to all partners of this
global-scale project.
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How the SMED works: step-by-step
SMED evaluations are typically conducted by SMED experts in a
series of steps over an average period of five months. These
experts are academics holding doctoral degrees or tourism
professionals with recognized expertise, possessing a minimum
of ten years of industry experience and established international
reputation.
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STEP 2: CUSTOMIZED SMED QUESTIONNAIRE
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STEP 1: DESTINATION
PROFILE QUESTIONNAIRE (DPQ)
(C-SMEDQ)
The SMED is composed of 4 fields and 11 categories
that serve as indicators for measuring excellence within a
destination. SMED experts carefully select the most
appropriate indicators for the destination profile, and then
use the initial DPQ to develop a web-based Customized
SMED Questionnaire, or C-SMEDQ, for the destination.
The Destination Profile Questionnaire, They will meet with as many stakeholders and local experts
or DPQ, gathers general information as needed to assist in completing the C-SMEDQ. The analysis
and documentation on the destination ofthe data collected enables the SMED experts to better
participating in a SMED evaluation. The prepare their on-site visit.
information collected provides SMED
experts with preliminary knowledge of
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the destination for the preparation of
relevant and carefully targeted ques-
tions in the steps that follow.
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sentado por duplicado para ser revisado y corregido
por quienes corresponda, antes de ser remitido a la
autoridad competente en el destino.
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STEP 5: FOLLOW-UP FOR
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
The SMED Code of Ethics
and Rules of Conduct
Each destination evaluated by the SMED becomes part The SMED visits and the experts who
of a worldwide destination database which protects the conduct them are governed
confidentiality of each destination’s responses. These by a rigorous Code of Ethics and
destinations and their stakeholders will benefit from Rules of Conduct that are strictly
ongoing follow-up and receive additional information respected during SMED evaluations
obtained by the CED over time. After three to four years of and proceedings.
a SMED evaluation, it is expected that a destination
will invite SMED experts to return to track how For further information, please visit
recommendations were implemented, explore new www.ced.travel
solutions and provide new information pertinent to the
destination’s continuous improvement.
THE CED’S MISSION IS TO GUIDE DESTINATIONS TOWARD EXCELLENCE BY SUPPORTING THEM IN THEIR
EFFORTS TO FOSTER SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND INCREASE THEIR ABILITIES TO GENERATE
ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL BENEFITS. THE CED IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION RECOGNIZED
BY THE UNITED NATIONS WORLD TOURISM ORGANIZATION (UNWTO).
LA MISIÓN DEL CED CONSISTE EN GUIAR A LOS DESTINOS HACIA LA EXCELENCIA APOYÁNDOLOS EN SUS
ESFUERZOS PARA FOMENTAR EL DESARROLLO SUSTENTABLE E INCREMENTAR SUS HABILIDADES PARA
GENERAR BENEFICIOS ECONÓMICOS, SOCIALES Y CULTURALES. EL CED ES UNA ORGANIZACIÓN SIN
FINES DE LUCRO, RECONOCIDA POR LA ORGANIZACIÓN MUNDIAL DEL TURISMO DE LAS NACIONES
UNIDAS (OMT).