Visitor information services in Thanet are set to undergo a major change later this month (March), as new plans are put in place to improve the service and deliver improved efficiency.
Visitor information staff from Thanet District Council will be touring major events across the area throughout the season using their mobile Visitor Information Centre, as well as operating from the Margate Visitor Information Centre at 12-13 the Parade. Key information points will also be introduced at various locations across Thanet to help ensure that information is even easier to access.
Negotiations are ongoing to retain some form of visitor information in Ramsgate, but in the meantime, the existing Visitor Information Centre in Albert Court will close for business on Saturday 27 March.
From the same date, Visitor Information staff will no longer be present at the Visitor Information Centre in Dickens House Museum in Broadstairs, although the museum will continue to be open. An information point and free phone to call the council's team have been has been introduced within the museum, so that visitors can continue to be supported. In addition, visitors will continue be helped by volunteers located there, a role that they have performed for many years.
An information kiosk, run by the Broadstairs Tourism and Leisure Association, will continue to be based at the Lilliput mini golf in Broadstairs and the Information Team is looking at further ways to support this service. The Visitor Information Centre at 12-13 the Parade in Margate will be opening seven days a week from Thursday 1 April until the end of September to ensure that they will be available to deal with visitors for longer periods.
Cllr. Shirley Tomlinson, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, said: "We are changing the service we provide to our visitors to ensure that we target information more effectively. We need to get our team out and about to the many superb events we have across Thanet throughout the summer months. That's where visitors to the area often head to and it makes sense to ensure that we have staff there to tell them all about the great things they can see and do in Thanet. The way that people want their information is changing and we all have to accept that. These days, people would often prefer to access information online, for example. They may also prefer to get information at an event, a tourist attraction or from the place they're staying in. That's why we're working to ensure there's increased information available at tourism businesses and attractions."
She added: "Thanet is not the only area to be going through this process. Many other parts of the country are also cutting back on their Visitor Information Centres, as the recession bites. Over the next five years, this council needs to save more than £6 million and we have to ensure that every service we provide is as cost effective as it is possible to be. We believe the changes we're making to visitor information will do just that."
Tuesday 16 March 2010
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How to encourage visitors to Thanet, mmm i know close down all the visitor information centres, spend all the money we save on carpets and windows for our nice offices, don't let anyone come and see a nice offices, spend a shed load of money in the library and they can all go there,and then they won't disturb us doing our important job of wasting tax payers money.
ReplyDeleteEvery time I hear that TDC is going to "improve" anyhting I shudder - yet something else that will get gradually whittled down and disappear - I agree with Anon 16.37
ReplyDeleteJust what Ramsgate needs when the new ferry services start bringing extra trade to the town.
ReplyDeleteI know they need to save money but why not scrap the mobile service. Where is the joined up/ blue sky thinking by the council on this one?
My understanding is that the new town council have done some sort of deal where we get a tourist information centre in the custom house and that will be supported by private sector funding, to a lesser or greater extent.
ReplyDeleteI don’t want to go into any more detail at this stage in case it prejudices negotiations that I understand are being finalised.
For Ramsgate this would appear to a win, win situation with the tourist information centre in a prominent position where tourists can actually find it.
I agree a better tourist information position is needed, only a ....i was stuck for words someone who works for TDC could think that the current position is suitable. At least when it was on harbour street people walked past it on a daily basis.
ReplyDelete