AWARD FOR VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRES

Margate and Ramsgate's Visitor Information Centres have come third in the regional awards for the Tourist Information Service of the Year.

Organised by Tourism South East, the Tourism ExSEllence Awards, cover all sectors of the industry, from bed and breakfast businesses to hotels and visitor experiences and aim to recognise excellence, quality and innovation.

Thanet came third in its category, taking a highly commended award, behind Portsmouth and Windsor, and beating other Visitor Information services from around the south east. Awards were presented by Giles Brandeth at the ceremony at the Wentworth Club in Surrey.

The success follows the transformation of both the service and the team, with the refurbishment of both centres and the team working more closely with the local community and tourism businesses. Additional facilities have also been introduced, including public Internet access, increased booking facilities and a wider range of local gifts.

David Gonzalez, Principal Visitor Services Officer, said: "The whole team is delighted with what we've achieved in a relatively short time. It was our first time entering the competition and to come third is a real result. The judges stated that the quality of submissions in this category was extremely high this year, so being a finalist was a great achievement. Portsmouth, the winners in our category, have been entering for the last six years, which just emphasises how well we did. Giles Brandeth showed real interest in Thanet and was very keen to learn more about what the area has to offer visitors. I'd like to thank everyone who's supported us over the last few months, both from the council and from Thanet's tourism industry.”