July 20, 2015 – If you work in industry (like, say, a power plant) and think people will enjoy discovering your world , then ISO says its new 13810 standard on industrial tourism is for you.

ISO 13810 “Tourism services – Industrial tourism – Service provision” helps you set up visitor tours to promote your company or your site. It offers guidelines and highlights points you must take into account when receiving visitors.

Industrial tourism activities can focus on a product, process or historical adventure. They are already popular in the food sector, says ISO, but are emerging in other sectors, like energy (e.g. wind farms, power plants).

ISO says the standard was developed because “many companies don’t have any experience in offering their products and services to the tourism market, and very few guides are available”. The standard will make it easier for companies and public authorities to open up for industrial tourism, which leads to increased self-promotion, the opportunity to showcase your brand and reward customers with a unique experience. Tourism is also a way target new customers and get feedback on your products, says ISO.

“Industrial heritage sites also bring a number of benefits. They promote the identity and culture of a destination, strengthen a sense of belonging to the locals, contribute to economic revitalization and help preserve and restore local or regional patrimony,” says ISO.

ISO 13810 can be purchased through the ISO Store or from your national ISO member. In Canada, it is the Standards Council of Canada (SCC).

— With files from Maria Lazarte