Safety & Security

Security will be assessed according to appropriateness for the location of the park. Parks in a high crime area will naturally be expected to have a higher level of overall security.

In the Tourism Grading Council's Minimum Requirements on Safety and Security it is stated: “All reasonable precaution must be taken to secure the personal safety of guests and prevent damage to or theft of their possessions. A high degree of general safety and security should and must be maintained at all times.”

Here you must ask yourself, or even get the opinion of your quests. Do they experience an excellent feeling of security – do your guests feel comfortable enough to leave possessions in tents/caravans, etc? The Assessor during his assessment will talk to guests with regards their personal security feelings.

Here the Grading Assessor will look at: - Is the park access tightly controlled? Does it have 24 hour patrolled guarding, electric fencing, control access and exit? This is a pre-requisite for four and five star resorts. (Again, naturally depending on location.) Is very little security offered, perhaps only a fence but no access control or guards? Maybe there is no access control – the park could be used as a thoroughfare for non-resident pedestrians and/or vehicles.

What procedures do you have for summoning help or assistance in the event of an emergency, especially after hours? Is there a responsible person on site or on call 24 hours a day? Are there emergency numbers prominently displayed where they can be quickly and readily found? Do your visitors have easy access to your resort at all times, especially after hours and when the security gates are locked?

Are all your emergency and directional signs clearly displayed in the appropriate languages or even better still – graphically to international standards?

Do you have adequate levels of lighting in all public areas? Have you made sure that the internal roads and especially paths to ablution facilities are well lit and that the surrounding areas and entrances to and from the ablutions, games room, play grounds and communal areas are appropriately illuminated at night.

It is a minimum standards requirement that all toilet and washing facilities be well lit externally during the hours of darkness. Consideration is given to whether lighting is appropriate to the environment, while been sufficient to the customers' sense of security and safety. All steps or ramps must be suitably lit, and all light fittings must be in working order and in a good state of repair.

Have you given thought to the fact that the lighting could be too excessive or bright at night? Does the lighting shine into the campers van or tent causing a nuisance or inconvenience whilst trying to sleep? Is the use of low level lighting used, and are low energy (soft) light bulbs used where appropriate?

Lighting on roads and pathways does not have to be high or obstructive. Low level lighting or lighting on the electrical outlets may be sufficient if they provide enough illumination for caravanners or campers to walk back to their accommodation at night. In some parks, lighting may not be immediately obvious.