A record 200 tourism-related businesses – ranging from cafes and bars to hotels and visitor attractions – are today expected to attend Bath Tourism Plus’ (BTP) annual tourism forum.
BTP will use the event at the Hilton Hotel to unveil its 2013 Bath Visitor Guide and Venues Directory and outline its plans for the year.
Among the guest speakers will be Bath & North East Somerset Council chief executive Jo Farrar, who will give an outline of the council’s approach to tourism and its priorities within its budget constraints.
So far January has been a good month for the tourist trade as, thanks to a joint partnership with VisitEngland, Bath is one of only six cities chosen to feature as part of a national campaign designed to boost tourism as a ‘Valentines’ destination.
Funded by £1.6m from the Government’s Regional Growth Fund, the Romantic Heritage Cities Campaign aims to highlight the country’s most romantic destinations.
Bath Tourism Plus chief executive Nick Brooks-Sykes said: “This new marketing activity is just the latest in a series of campaigns that has seen Bath promoted through the national media. Bath has always been known as a romantic city, particularly around Valentines, but this campaign gives us a great opportunity to attract staying visitors all the way from January through to March, which are traditionally our quieter months.”
Sessions at today’s forum include a range of talks from guest speakers and workshops for the tourist trade. BTP will also be unveiling the new 2013 Bath Visitor Guide and Venues Directory.
The attendance is expected to be the largest in BTP’s nine-year history.
