MEETING CUSTOMER EXPECTATIONS - THE FUTURE FOR VISITOR INFORMATION PROVISION IN THE SOUTH EAST
December 8, 2005: To ensure that the Tourist Information Centre (TIC) network in the South East is state of the art via a range of channels including on and offline, telecoms and face to face, a major strategic review is underway.
As part of this Tourism South East (TSE) this week received invaluable feedback from almost 100 TICs who attended their major annual conference at the Hampshire Centrecourt Hotel in Basingstoke.
The feedback from the conference - in the form of a delegate questionnaire and workshops - has enabled TSE to gather early input on TIC thinking on key issues that should be included in the proposed new regional strategy for visitor information provision - presently under scrutiny in TSE's Regional TIC/Information Strategic Review. The results from the review which is being undertaken on behalf of TSE by the tourism consultancy 'Tourism Enterprise and Management' (TEAM) - are scheduled to be released in the Spring of 2006.
Christine Melia, TSE Commercial Services Director, told conference delegates: "This is a critical time for all of us involved in the provision of visitor information and, particularly, those who deliver front-line Tourist Information services. We are all well aware that visitors are now able to access information about our destinations, and make their buying decisions via a multitude of channels. As a result, buying habits are changing. Whilst the TIC service remains central to the process, it is imperative that it adapts to ensure that visitors are able to access information easily and seamlessly throughout the 'visitor journey'.
"In addition to a changing visitor environment, there is an on-going pressure of limited, and reducing, tourism budgets. We must embrace these challenges, and ensure that we continually assess and advance our approach whilst seeking opportunities to support long-term sustainability through, for example, enhanced commercial and partnership activities."
Other key speakers at the conference included: Judy Watson, Chair of National TIC Network; Simon Bradley, General Manager, England Customer Relationships, VisitBritain; Dr Roger Carter of TEAM; and Eyvonne Dight, Sales and Marketing Manager, Quality in Tourism.
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For further information or a copy of the full report please contact Jodie Hodge TSE Corporate Communications Officer on 023 8062 5502 or jhodge@tourismse.com
Notes to Editors
Tourism South East is the strategic tourism body for Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire.