TOURISM VOLUNTEERS CELEBRATED

The work of volunteers from across Thanet, who have helped to promote the area to visitors, has been celebrated at a special council event.

Around 40 people were invited to the Margate Media Centre for a special Christmas “thank you” evening. All those attending were from three different groups, who have played a major role in providing information and a welcome to our visitors. Those invited were from the Broadstairs Information Kiosk, the Information Kiosk at Lillyputt Mini Golf in Broadstairs and the Ramsgate Visitor Information Centre at Customs House.

Cllr. Michelle Fenner, Cabinet Member for Partnerships and Tourism, said: “Our tourism team receives a huge amount of support from volunteers across Thanet, who have given up a considerable amount of their personal time this summer. They have helped to ensure that our visitors to Ramsgate and Broadstairs have received a very warm welcome, which is vital to help ensure visitors feel looked after and return again and again. The evening was just a small token of our thanks to the volunteers who make such a difference to tourism in Thanet.”

Broadstairs Information Kiosk Manager, Barbara Wallace, said: “This is an extremely successful partnership project. The council’s visitor information team have always had a friendly smile and a warm welcome for all of the 40 volunteers who run the kiosk through the summer season. The volunteers have particularly benefited from the excellent Visitor Ambassador training. In addition, our colleagues at the council have enabled the project to grow and develop by attending management meetings, providing a touch screen kiosk, literature, additional training and loads of support by being at the end of the phone. We couldn’t have done it without them... It’s been great fun too!

Ramsgate Visitor Information Centre

Open all year round and independently run by Ramsgate Town Council, this opened in summer 2010 and is based in Customs House. It is managed by Ralph Hoult and supported by Cllrs. Corinna Huxley and Pat Moore.

Broadstairs Information Kiosk

This is a joint venture between Broadstairs and St. Peters Town Council, Broadstairs Tourism and Leisure Association, Broadstairs Chamber of Commerce, Shepherd Neame and Thanet District Council. This is managed by the Broadstairs Information Kiosk Management Committee, which has representatives from each of these groups and the Information Kiosk Manager Barbara Wallace. A team of around 40 volunteers have run the Information Kiosk throughout summer this year. It has only just closed for the season.

The BRIK at Lillyputt Mini Golf, Broadstairs

The BRIK is a joint venture between Broadstairs Tourism and Leisure Association and Lillyputt Mini Golf. It is managed by Ken Wilson and his team of volunteers and is situated on the premises of Lillyputt Mini Golf. It is open throughout the year to provide information to visitors to Broadstairs.

How has the council supported these projects?

The council has:

• provided equipment, such as leaflets and display stands to help with their set up

• sourced and paid for two electronic touch-screen information kiosks, located at Customs House and Broadstairs Information Kiosk. These provide information 24 hours a day to our visitors.
• sourced and designed signage to promote the Broadstairs Information Kiosk and the BRIK.
• recruited the majority of the volunteers across all three information outlets to our Visitor Ambassador scheme. This equips those who live and work in Thanet, who may encounter visitors on a day to day basis, with helpful information that will provide them with the skills to assist with visitor enquiries should they need to
• have been able to offer tourism training for Customer Care through the Welcome to Excellence programme
• provide ongoing support to all three outlets in the form of regular meetings, emails and telephone calls.