Comments on: No future for the tourist information office http://www.travel-rants.com/2008/06/15/no-future-for-the-tourist-information-office/ Sun, 29 Jan 2012 01:52:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: MB http://www.travel-rants.com/2008/06/15/no-future-for-the-tourist-information-office/#comment-116209 MB Tue, 19 Aug 2008 18:37:40 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=1143#comment-116209 I've used the tourist information office at the start of spur-of-the-moment day trips to small towns. It's not always practical to have a guidebook for every place I might visit or even Internet access. I also needed Tourist office desperately when my plans changed suddenly during a recent trip and I needed quick help finding a hotel. While I generally prefer to book my travel online in advance, you can't beat the tourist information office for quick, personal information from someone with in-depth local knowledge of a place. I’ve used the tourist information office at the start of spur-of-the-moment day trips to small towns. It’s not always practical to have a guidebook for every place I might visit or even Internet access. I also needed Tourist office desperately when my plans changed suddenly during a recent trip and I needed quick help finding a hotel.

While I generally prefer to book my travel online in advance, you can’t beat the tourist information office for quick, personal information from someone with in-depth local knowledge of a place.

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]]> By: Darren Cronian http://www.travel-rants.com/2008/06/15/no-future-for-the-tourist-information-office/#comment-103781 Darren Cronian Thu, 19 Jun 2008 08:08:00 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=1143#comment-103781 @ Esther Thanks for popping by and taking up my invitation to comment from ANTOR's perspective, its always good to get a balanced view. @ Esther

Thanks for popping by and taking up my invitation to comment from ANTOR’s perspective, its always good to get a balanced view.

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]]> By: Esther Smith http://www.travel-rants.com/2008/06/15/no-future-for-the-tourist-information-office/#comment-103776 Esther Smith Thu, 19 Jun 2008 07:23:26 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=1143#comment-103776 I agree that there is no longer a need for tourist offices to have high street offices as the need for drop in visitors have declined over the years. The need for lots of glossy brochures have been replaces by the internet. However, there will always be someone who will need the above services and one must be able to provide this service if and when needed. Tourist offices can now spend more time marketing and promoting their destinations and having a voice through Associations such as ANTOR and other industry bodies. But the tourist office will always need to exist to liaise with the trade and therefore will need representation so that travel agencies, tour operators and airlines are updated on destinations around the world. The trade in return will then have to ability to continue (as one person earlier mentioned) give destination information to the consumers. I agree that there is no longer a need for tourist offices to have high street offices as the need for drop in visitors have declined over the years. The need for lots of glossy brochures have been replaces by the internet. However, there will always be someone who will need the above services and one must be able to provide this service if and when needed.
Tourist offices can now spend more time marketing and promoting their destinations and having a voice through Associations such as ANTOR and other industry bodies.
But the tourist office will always need to exist to liaise with the trade and therefore will need representation so that travel agencies, tour operators and airlines are updated on destinations around the world. The trade in return will then have to ability to continue (as one person earlier mentioned) give destination information to the consumers.

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]]> By: John Shipley http://www.travel-rants.com/2008/06/15/no-future-for-the-tourist-information-office/#comment-103726 John Shipley Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:01:48 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=1143#comment-103726 I cannot remember the last time I used a tourist information office. LIke a few of you have mentioned I use the internet. If I am booking my holiday I always use a travel agent for the human contact. I cannot remember the last time I used a tourist information office. LIke a few of you have mentioned I use the internet.

If I am booking my holiday I always use a travel agent for the human contact.

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]]> By: Darren Cronian http://www.travel-rants.com/2008/06/15/no-future-for-the-tourist-information-office/#comment-103514 Darren Cronian Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:36:54 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=1143#comment-103514 @ Vicky Good points made. I walked past Leeds tourist information office this morning and had to have a laugh to myself. They were three people sat at desks and no one stood at the desks asking for advice, they looked bored to be honest. They were I reckon, at a quick count, another 9 people in the building, and these people were mingling in the tourist gift shop part of the building. Buying gifts is not exactly getting tourist information advice. I take your points though about the human element, I agree, but I think that tourist information offices are in the stone age (not quite but you know what I mean) and they provide a more 21st century approach to tourist information. The advantage of the internet for me is that I don’t have the time to be spending it searching the high street for a tourist office, when I can get it online. @ Vicky

Good points made.

I walked past Leeds tourist information office this morning and had to have a laugh to myself. They were three people sat at desks and no one stood at the desks asking for advice, they looked bored to be honest. They were I reckon, at a quick count, another 9 people in the building, and these people were mingling in the tourist gift shop part of the building.

Buying gifts is not exactly getting tourist information advice.

I take your points though about the human element, I agree, but I think that tourist information offices are in the stone age (not quite but you know what I mean) and they provide a more 21st century approach to tourist information.

The advantage of the internet for me is that I don’t have the time to be spending it searching the high street for a tourist office, when I can get it online.

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