Businesses in Bath’s hospitality and creative sectors have been given a boost with the opening of the city’s new Visitor Information Centre (VIC), which features enhanced marketing opportunities and support for local firms.
The centre, on Terrace Walk overlooking Parade Gardens, was officially opened on Friday.
Operated by Visit Bath, the city’s destination marketing organisation, it boasts more digitally interactive tech than its previous home in Abbey Churchyard, improving online retail, ticketing for venues and events and tour services.
It also includes include touch screens and better marketing opportunities for Visit Bath members as well as a more significant presence Bath Box Office.
There is also space for city-based creative businesses to display and sell their products – from Bath Gin to illustrators and artists such as Alice Tait, Richard Briggs and Blockhouse Bath.
The VIC, already one of the busiest in the country, expects to welcome around 500,000 visitors this year as its new higher-profile location is ideally situated to welcome in bus and coach tours to the city.
Tourism adds around £430m a year to Bath’s economy and supports 8,830 jobs – around one-in-10 of the city’s workforce. In 2016 some 4.8m day visitors came to the city with a further 1.2m staying for at least one night.
The official opening ceremony attended by Bath MP Wera Hobhouse, who cut the ribbon, and West of England Metro Mayor Tim Bowles.
Visit Bath chief executive David James said: “This is an exciting new development for Visit Bath and reflects the importance of the visitor economy to Bath. We’re grateful to both Wera and Tim for attending and appreciate their support in all that we’re trying to do.
“The sleek design of the new Visitor Information Centre allows us to be more digitally interactive and offer an enhanced online retail, ticketing and tours service. Bath Box Office now has a significant presence within the centre, reflecting our partnership with Bath Festivals.
“Supporting local businesses is also extremely important to us, so we will continue to sell products from local companies.”
Wera Hobhouse added: “Tourism is hugely important to our beautiful heritage city of Bath and our new VIC reflects this. Bath has so much to offer and we take great pride in welcoming visitors from all over the world.
“Visit Bath is doing a tremendous job ensuring that visitors make the most of their time here.”
The official opening took place to coincide with the end of English Tourism Week.
Pictured, top: Bath MP Wera Hobhouse cuts the ribbon to officially open Bath’s new Visitor Information Centre, watched by Bath & North East Somerset Council leader Tim Warren and Jane Warren. Bottom: Wera Hobhouse addressing guests at the opening with, right, Visit Bath chief executive David James
