Bath-based wealth management firm Novia Financial and Visit Bath, the destination marketing body, will this evening launch a new luxury balloon service to help the city’s reputation soar higher.
Operated by Bath Balloons, the Novia Financial Visit Bath craft is due to take to the skies for the first time outside the iconic Royal Crescent hotel. 
It will operate for the remainder of this year’s flight season up to 2020, including taking part in the Bristol International Balloon fiesta – the largest event of its kind in Europe – and also the Bath Christmas Market.
Bath Balloons has been flying from Royal Victoria park since 1988. It operates alongside Bristol Balloons as a part of Ballooning Network Ltd.
Visit Bath head of business development and partnerships Leslie Redwood said: “We are delighted to work with our esteemed partners Novia Financial and Bath Balloons on this exciting new initiative for Bath and region.
“This hot air balloon is an icon for the city – a stunning physical representation of the power and synergies created by strong organisations co-operating and working together for the benefit of our beautiful city and surrounds.
“Visit Bath is honoured to support Novia Financial and Bath Balloons as we all continue to all do great things in and around our stunning World Heritage city and area for the benefit of visitors, residents and businesses alike.”
Novia Financial CEO Bill Vasilieff added: “Ballooning provides a unique opportunity to view the surrounding area from a totally different perspective and with launches planned across the stunning countryside over the magnificent Georgian city of Bath, we are very much looking forward to getting off the ground.”
Bath Balloons managing director Nic Amor said the pilots and crews were looking forward to making Victor Bravo a regular feature ascending “serenely over the Bath skyline and soaring further afield, delivering a classic ballooning experience and promoting our wonderful balloon sponsors”.
