01 · Evaluation
Consent to and Scope of Evaluation
1. Consent to Evaluation: By submitting an application to participate in Qatar Top Ten, the participant expressly agrees to subject the participating establishment, service, product or branch to the evaluation, verification and judging processes approved for the Award. 2. Scope of Evaluation: The participant acknowledges that, depending on the category, the evaluation may include a review of documents and data, assessment of customer experience, field visits, mystery shopping, digital channels, official data and other approved evaluation sources. 3. Positive and Negative Outcomes: The participant acknowledges that the evaluation process may, by its nature, produce positive or negative results, scores or observations, or identify shortcomings or opportunities for improvement. 4. Acceptance of the Nature of Evaluation: A participant receiving a low score, a lower position than expected or not winning the Award does not, in itself, constitute an offence, defamation or harm to its reputation.
02 · Evaluation
Methodology and Professional Judgement
5. Professional Evaluation: Qatar Top Ten, its panels and its evaluators undertake to exercise reasonable care to conduct the evaluation professionally, independently and in accordance with the approved methodology. 6. Professional Judgement: The participant acknowledges that certain elements of the evaluation may require professional judgement by judges or evaluators, and that reasonable professional judgements may therefore differ between evaluators. 7. No Guarantee of Score: Participation does not guarantee a particular minimum score, a particular position or winning the Award. 8. No Guarantee of the Number of Winners: Qatar Top Ten is not obliged to select ten winners in every category if a sufficient number of participants do not meet the approved minimum or requirements. 9. Acceptance of the Methodology: The participant acknowledges that it has read the main criteria and the published evaluation methodology and accepts their application to its entry. 10. Internal Details: Certain technical tools, anti-manipulation mechanisms or internal details may be withheld where their disclosure could affect the integrity of the evaluation process.
03 · Evaluation
Judging Panel and Independence of Evaluation
11. Joint Judging Panel: The participant acknowledges that the main judging panel is a joint panel of Qatar Top Ten and Qatar Tourism, chaired by the Chief Executive Officer of Qatar Top Ten, with Qatar Tourism represented by two members in accordance with the approved composition. 12. Independence of Evaluation: Neither the chair of the panel nor any individual member has the authority to change technical scores unilaterally outside the approved procedures and methodology. 13. Evaluator Results: A participant's evaluation may rely on more than one evaluator or data source, and the final result need not represent the opinion of a single person.
04 · Evaluation
Evaluation Sources and Verification
14. Mystery Shopping: Where this forms part of the category methodology, the participant agrees to mystery shopper visits or transactions being carried out without prior notice. 15. Field Visits: The participant agrees to the field visits necessary for the evaluation being carried out in accordance with the approved procedures. 16. Evaluation of Public Channels: Information, services and experiences available to the public through the participant's website, app, telephone, social media, or booking and contact channels may be evaluated. 17. Customer Experience Evaluation: Customer data, opinions and experiences may be used in the evaluation process in accordance with the approved methodology and weightings. 18. Official Data: Official data available from Qatar Tourism or other competent authorities may be used within the scope of the approved cooperation and consents. 19. Verification of Information: Qatar Top Ten may verify the information provided by the participant using available and lawful sources. 20. Incorrect Information: An entry may be excluded or re-evaluated if material information provided by the participant is found to be incorrect or misleading.
05 · Evaluation
Conduct and Non-Interference
21. Non-Interference: The participant may not attempt to influence any panel member, evaluator, mystery shopper or employee connected with the evaluation process. 22. Gifts and Benefits: Offering gifts, advantages, services, promises or any other benefit with the intention of influencing the evaluation or judging is prohibited. 23. Communication with Judges: The participant may not contact judges or evaluators directly regarding its scores or the outcome of its entry other than through the approved official channels.
06 · Evaluation
Confidentiality and Information Available to Participants
24. Confidentiality of Evaluators' Identities: The participant is not entitled to demand disclosure of the identity of a mystery shopper or evaluator where keeping that identity confidential is necessary to protect the integrity of the methodology. 25. Confidentiality of Deliberations: The participant is not entitled to access internal deliberations, the individual opinions of panel members or confidential information relating to other participants. 26. Information That May Be Provided: The participant may be provided with its scores, a summary of its evaluation or feedback in accordance with the approved policy and service, without any obligation to disclose confidential or third-party information.
07 · Evaluation
Appeals and Correction of Results
27. Appeal: If the participant believes there has been a procedural or calculation error, or that a published criterion has not been applied correctly, it may submit an appeal in accordance with the appeals mechanism and within the specified period. 28. Grounds for Appeal: An appeal must be specific and supported by appropriate information or evidence; mere dissatisfaction with the score or position is not sufficient. 29. Re-Review: Where the grounds of an appeal are accepted, the score, the procedure or the affected part of the evaluation may be reviewed again. 30. No Guarantee of a Changed Result: Accepting an appeal for review does not mean accepting its substance or guaranteeing a change to the score or position. 31. Correction of Errors: Qatar Top Ten may correct calculation, technical or procedural errors discovered before or after the announcement of results, in accordance with the approved policy. 32. Change of Result: If a material error is established that actually affected the outcome, the score, position or result may be amended to reflect the correct outcome.
08 · Evaluation
Publication of Results and Reports
33. Publication of Results: The participant agrees to the publication of its trade name, category, position and winning result if it is among the winners or among the results that Qatar Top Ten decides to publish in accordance with the Award rules. 34. No Automatic Publication of Negative Details: Qatar Top Ten's right to evaluate the participant does not mean that all detailed scores or negative observations will be made public; the scope of publication is determined by the Results and Reports Policy. 35. General Reports: Results may be used in aggregated or anonymised form in reports, studies and indicators without identifying a specific establishment, unless the information is already published or there is a basis permitting identification. 36. Feedback: Where the participant is provided with a private report or observations, these are provided for evaluation and development purposes and may not be quoted selectively or presented in a manner that is misleading about the Award result.
09 · Evaluation
Meaning of Results and Duration of the Award
37. Result Not a Commercial Guarantee: The Award or classification does not constitute a permanent guarantee of the quality of all of the establishment's products or services, and does not relieve consumers of making their own independent decisions. 38. Change in Performance After Evaluation: The result reflects the information and assessments relating to the period or cycle evaluated, and the establishment's performance may change thereafter. 39. Duration of the Award: The winner's title and the official badge are valid for one year only from the date the Award is granted. 40. No Automatic Renewal: Winning in a given cycle does not guarantee winning or retaining the same position in the following cycle; the participant is subject to a new evaluation. 41. Variation in Results Between Years: The participant acknowledges that its position may rise or fall, or that it may drop out of the list of winners, in subsequent cycles as a result of a new evaluation, changes in competition or the announced methodology.
10 · Evaluation
Limits of Liability
42. No Liability for Expectations: To the extent permitted by law, Qatar Top Ten is not liable for any commercial loss arising solely from the participant's expectation of winning or obtaining a particular position. 43. Reputation-Related Claims: To the extent permitted by law, the application of evaluation and judging in good faith and in accordance with the approved methodology does not, in itself, constitute grounds for a claim arising from the participant's dissatisfaction with its score or position, or from not winning. 44. No Exclusion of Legal Liability: Nothing in these terms shall be construed as excluding any liability that cannot be excluded under Qatari law.
11 · Evaluation
Withdrawal, Finality of Results and Award Integrity
45. Right of Withdrawal: The participant may withdraw in accordance with the deadlines and procedures set out in the participation terms; withdrawal does not automatically entitle the participant to a refund of fees if the service or evaluation process has already begun, in accordance with the fees policy and applicable law. 46. Effect of Withdrawal: A withdrawing establishment may not continue to present itself as a current participant in, or nominee for, the Award once its participation has formally ended. 47. Acceptance of the Procedural Result: Once the appeal period has ended and any submitted appeal has been concluded, the result is considered approved for the purposes of the cycle, without prejudice to any mandatory rights provided by law. 48. Protecting the Integrity of the Award: Any reasonable and necessary action may be taken to protect the integrity of the evaluation upon discovery of manipulation, fraud, interference or materially incorrect information.
12 · Evaluation
Electronic Acknowledgement and Record of Acceptance
49. Electronic Acknowledgement: The system must not allow an application to be completed until the establishment's authorised representative has expressly accepted the participation terms and conditions and the evaluation and judging policies. 50. Record of Acceptance: An electronic record may be kept evidencing the participant's acceptance of the terms, including the account identity, the date and time of acceptance and the version number of the approved terms.
