Visit West launched to members

On Monday 10 May, Visit West was launched to existing members alongside presentations from Green Tourism, FareHarbor and Bath Bus Company.

At a webinar for existing members, over 150 attendees heard comments from Visit West Executive Chair John Savage and Patricia Yates, Visit Britain's Director of Strategy & Communications before a presentation from Kathryn Davis, Director of Tourism for Visit West. Kathryn ran through the purpose of Visit West and plans for the immediate future as well as introducing the team. The time was also used to showcase the recently launched Meet Bristol & Bath Convention Bureau brand.

As we launch a new Destination Management Organisation for Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, our aim is to support the industry as it recovers and rebuilds, providing and signposting information to enable our business community not only to survive but to thrive.  We will develop new routes to market, provide unique opportunities for destination led consumer marketing and ensure that our business events market can develop and compete in the market, not just in the UK but internationally.

We will do this by creating a strong and collaborative visitor economy as we work across the key cities of Bristol and Bath, our surrounding towns and villages and those businesses within, to showcase the most unique and inspirational visitor destination in the UK.

Further presentations were received from Green Tourism, Bath Bus Company and FareHarbor.

Members were able to comment and ask questions which ranged from membership benefits to marketing plans. It is hoped that the official Visit West public launch will take place during English Tourism Week later in May.

Presentations:

• Kathryn Davis, Visit West - Visit West member launch - view presentation

• Andrea Nicholas, Green Tourism - The World is Getting Greener …and so are your visitors - view presentation

• Hannah Patterson, FareHarbor - Enabling the modern travel experience with FareHarbor - view presentation

• Vikki Annett, Bath Bus Company - Bath Bus Company reveals Tootbus and new Bristol tour

You can read more about the launch of the Tootbus brand in our news story.