Visitors to VIC reach record levels

RECORD numbers of visitors have taken advantage of the Visitor
Information Centre in its first year at Droit House, Margate  

More than 70,000 people have visited the centre since it moved to its
new location in April 2011, which is an increase of 63 per cent on the
previous year. 

The centre, run by Thanet District Council, offers visitors a range of
information about Thanet’s bays and beaches, restaurants, attractions,
shopping facilities, plus much more. Staff are also available to offer
visitors any advice and assistance they may need about the area.  

Paula Harbidge, Senior Tourism Officer for Thanet District Council,
said: “We are delighted at how popular the Visitor Information Centre
has been since moving to Droit House and undoubtedly we have benefited
from the opening of Turner Contemporary and the additional people this
has drawn to the area. We’ve had a very successful year and believe
that being on Margate’s seafront means we are ideally located to
ensure our visitors get all the information they need to make their trip
truly enjoyable.  

“We offer a huge range of information for our visitors and hundreds
of leaflets are being taken every week about our beaches and bays and
our attractions. We strive hard to get people to discover all of Thanet
and to move around the three resorts and villages, in the hope that it
will increase the length of their stay and the amount they spend in the
area or encourage them to visit again in the future.  We even take the
service out to visitors attending events during the main season as part
of our outreach activity.”

Cllr. Iris Johnston, Cabinet Member for Tourism, said: “There’s no
doubt that the move of the Visitor Information Centre to Droit House has
been a huge success.

“It’s now ideally placed right next to the Harbour Arm and Turner
Contemporary, which has also seen record visitor numbers in its first
year. 

“It has definitely helped to attract the number of visitors that we
have seen to Margate. They are then able to use the Visitor Information
Centre to find out what else they can do across Thanet and increase
their stay, including our number of beaches and bays that have been
recently recommended in the Good Beach Guide 2012.” 

The Visitor Information Centre also sells National Express tickets and
attraction passes, as well as books, maps, postcards and a range of
locally produced souvenirs.  

The team also work with more than 70 volunteers who provide a valuable
tourist information service at the Information Kiosks in Broadstairs and
at The Customs House in Ramsgate. Often these volunteers are the first
point of contact for many people new to the area and they can assist
with accommodation requests, travel enquiries, as well as information on
the district’s attractions and events.

Many of these volunteers have also been trained up to become Visitor
Ambassadors as part of the council’s ongoing Visitor Ambassador
Scheme.

To find out more go to www.visitthanet.co.uk