Six more local businesses have now successfully reached Bermuda’s new national service standards, managed by the Bermuda Tourism Authority — bringing the running total to 16.

In a statement, the BTA said the six newly certified businesses are:

• Beauty Queen Day Spa

• Bermuda Bride

• Inverurie Executive Suites

• Newstead Belmont Hills Golf Resort & Spa

• PTix

• Tuckinn Rentals

Karla Lacey, Bermuda Tourism Authority’s chief operating officer, who oversees the National Service Standards Programme, said: “A higher standard of service is the most impactful way for Bermuda to improve its value proposition.

“The Bermuda Tourism Authority is proud of the 16 businesses that committed to meeting the standards required to become fully certified. They are demonstrating a service commitment to their customers that is unmatched by anything previously attempted in our jurisdiction.”

Each of the six businesses will be identified on the gotobermuda.com website with a star, making their certification clear to site visitors. Additionally, these businesses are pinned to the top of the list in their respective sectors when a user launches a search on gotobermuda.com.

Mystery shoppers visited the businesses more than once to ensure standards were being met and now those businesses can place an NSSP seal of approval in their storefronts and on their websites.

Sandra Barnett, of Beauty Queen Day Spa, said: “I’m honoured to be the first beauty industry-related business to be certified. I’m also happy to know about the recertification and the continuous mystery shoppers because that is something that will always keep us on our toes. I just love the challenge that this will bring for our workers.”

Phillip Akeroyd, of Inverurie Executive Suites, a business traveller property, said: “This certification is one of the steps we wanted to achieve so that if any business person is looking at us online, everything they see is high end and highly recommended. We’re very pleased to have achieved this because it’s one part of our business development plan.”

Nikki Begg, of Bermuda Bride, said: “I wanted to make our level of service consistent throughout the company, so we now have protocols throughout the office from how we answer the phone to how to do a sales call. Going through this course has opened our eyes and elevated our standards — it didn’t hurt to be elevated on the gotobermuda.com website either.”

Rasheeda Burgess, BTA’s training and standards manager, said: “This is the first time we’ve had businesses in the destination wedding and travel services sectors which is very gratifying. More importantly though, as travel standards are raised across the island, visitor satisfaction is to rise accordingly as travellers perceive a better value for the amount of money they’re spending.”

Other businesses that previously earned the NSS certification are:

• 27th Century Boutique

• Alexandra Mosher Studio Jewellery

• The Bermuda Perfumery

• Bermuda Transit Services

• Chopstix Fusion

• Dolphin Quest

• Flanagan’s Irish Pub

• Fun Golf

• Lili Bermuda

• Tobacco Bay/Beach Boys

• The next enrolment period will be this September. In the meantime, questions can be directed to info@service.bm