Monmouthshire County Council will seek to review the county’s tourist information centres (TIC) as national and international trends show an increasing shift towards web-based tourist information services.
The council is keen to capitalize on the tourism opportunities that Monmouthshire offers and will explore different ways of using resources to get maximum impact for the local economy. As part of that process, the council will consult on the future role and function of its three tourist information centres.
Cllr Bob Greenland, Cabinet Member for Modernization, Enterprise and Communications said:
“Tourist information is vital to help us maintain our position as a major tourist destination. But people are accessing tourist information in different ways. More and more people are getting their tourist information through the internet and by other digital communication, including social media.
“Tourism is vital to Monmouthshire’s economy and we are going to lose out if we don’t keep up with this change. So, in common with many other councils, we need to consider if our resources could be better spent by targeting the majority who now rely on the Internet and use their mobile phones to access information.”
The council currently has tourist information centres in Chepstow, Monmouth and Abergavenny.
Cllr Greenland added:
“I know that this consultation will cause concern. But we have a responsibility to ensure our resources are used to best advantage and it is right that we should now enter into a period of consultation before we make decisions on how we deliver tourist information in the future.
As part of the consultation, the council will meet with a wide range of stakeholders including town and community councils, chambers of trade and community groups.
