28/05/2009

Visit York has today announced an exciting new development which will position York's visitor information provision as the very best in the country and as a flagship for the region.

Supported by Yorkshire Forward, the City of York Council and York Conservation Trust, the new state of the art 'Visit York Information Centre' will be opening its doors to the public this autumn, replacing the existing service currently located at the De Grey Rooms in Exhibition Square.

The news comes just weeks after Yorkshire Forward announced its new £30million investment in tourism for the region and Welcome To Yorkshire unveiled its ambitious plans to make Yorkshire one of the world's top visitor destinations.

York's new centre will be opening at 1 Museum Street - a property purchased from the City of York Council by York Conservation Trust, who are carrying out all the necessary renovations. When the refurbishment is completed, Visit York will run the information service from this building on behalf of the city.

The total value of investment in the centre is estimated at £900,000, which includes £481,000 from Yorkshire Forward and £100,000 from the City of York Council with the rest being the value placed on the work being actioned by York Conservation Trust in renovating the building and Visit York in managing the project.

John Yeomans, Chairman of Visit York said, ‘This is the biggest single investment in visitor information for many years. Our vision is to make this centre the very best in the country. Visit York will be leading the way in information services, ensuring that York and Yorkshire have a visitor centre fit for the 21st century, using the very latest technology. What's important to stress too is that this new information centre will be very much at the heart of the city and the region, a resource which can be used by residents and visitors - a centre for all.'

This new Visit York Information Centre will be:

Fully revamped, modernised and improved, with extensive use of new technology, promoting York and Yorkshire in a modern and contemporary way.

A facility which will offer extended services and act as a regional gateway and showcase for the whole Yorkshire region - providing a portal through which visitors, residents and businesses can discover more about York and Yorkshire.

The new visitor information centre will also combine with the headquarters of Visit York - the city's tourism partnership, meaning that for the first time marketing and information staff will be housed under one roof.

This new investment in tourism in the city's information provision is part of a wider injection of new funding for tourism in York and its surrounding and is designed to contribute to the target of 5% per annum growth in tourism earnings, which Visit York, Welcome To Yorkshire and the five other tourism partnerships in the region are working towards.

The current Visitor Information Centre at the De Grey Rooms attracts around 240,000 visitors per year. In the first full year of trading at Museum Street, Visit York aims to attract 96,000 more visitors through the doors, bringing the total to 336,000 (a 40% increase) and has high ambitions to take this figure to 400,000 in the subsequent year.

 

Services to be offered will include:

- Local, regional and national information - using digital signage as well as online materials and print to lead the way in the region in visitor information services

- Interactive information to provide taster material to inspire the user to enquire further

- Enquiries, ticket sales and an accommodation bookings service - the centre will act as a tickemaster agent, offering a seven days per week box office for York, Yorkshire and national events (residents for example will be able to buy tickets to see West End shows)

- Merchandising sales, including a refrigerated display for local/regional food produce

- Exhibition and merchandising space flexible enough for change to reflect seasons, events and festivals

- A call centre for telephone and on-line enquiries

- The service will accept euros making transactions for European visitors much easier

- Itinerary planning - for residents as well as visitors so if you want to know what to do with the kids over the school holidays, the centre can assist.

- A one-stop-shop for local, regional and national travel information

 

How will the service be an improvement on the current service?

- It will be accessible to all - including disabled access into the building (current facilities at the De Grey Rooms are not easily accessible)

- A much wider range and better presentation of regional produce and services

- Step change improvement in events bookings - which will help increase awareness of and attendance at events and festivals by locals as well as visitors

- Far more flexible merchandising and exhibition space which can be changed to reflect the seasons, events, new attractions etc

- Far more information for residents about the facilities in their city and region

- Full use of new technology, from broadband through to digital signage

- Dedicated areas for accommodation booking, events promotion, travel and itinerary planning in place of the current single counter arrangement

- Visit York is looking at opportunities for more flexible ways of working - including the possibility of extended hours into the evening

Andy Tordoff Assistant Director Environment (Tourism) at Yorkshire Forward, said, ‘This investment represents an exciting time for tourism, providing a new-look facility that will showcase the high-quality visitor experience that York and the region has to offer. This innovative approach to the provision of visitor information services is an excellent example of how regional tourism partners are working together to demonstrate the growing importance of tourism to Yorkshire's economy.'

Andrew Waller, Leader of the City of York Council said, 'This new investment is vital to support jobs in York and Yorkshire's tourism industry. By making visitors feel looked after in a modern one-stop-shop they are likely to stay longer, find out more about the so called 'peripheral' city centre areas to boost trade in those areas and visit the rest of Yorkshire. Residents and visitors alike will be able to find out about 'what's on' with the year round events and festivals programme which makes York a pleasurable place to live and visit.'

1, Museum Street, a grade II listed building, dates from around 1840 (it was previously used as offices and a former registry office) and is being carefully renovated and restored by York Conservation Trust. False ceilings have been removed to reveal the stunning high ceilings and original ceiling roses and cornices. Low pressure techniques have also been used to clean the dirt from the beautiful sandstone exterior. ENDS

Photographs

Image of 1, Museum Street is available - the new Visit York Information Centre will be opening this Autumn.

For more information, please contact Kay Hyde, PR Manager, Visit York, Tel: 01904 554451, email: kh@visityork.org