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Visitors and residents in Banchory can explore everything from Dickens to Dunnottar and Rankin to Royal Deeside, as VisitScotland announces a collaboration with Aberdeenshire Council’s library service to provide information and inspiration to visitors.
As of 1 April 2015, Banchory VisitScotland Information Centre will no longer operate from its current Bridge Street location and Banchory Library, which is located upstairs in the same building, will take on the running of information provision for the 2015 season.
This new arrangement means that visitors are not only enticed by the wide variety of information provided by the national tourism organisation, but will also benefit from the local expertise of library staff.
The collaboration will also offer extended opening hours and higher visibility, improving the opportunity to attract more people. The library is located in Scott Skinner Square, a more prominent position for visitors than previously. Visitor information will be accessible from 10am-7pm Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 10am-2.30pm Thursday and 10am-3pm on Saturday, between April and October.
This collaboration follows similar activity last month in Aberdeenshire with the introduction of a library point within Braemar’s VisitScotland Information Centre. The library point replaced the mobile library and increased this important literary service to virtually full-time, around the Centre’s opening hours, seven-days-a-week.
Philip Smith, VisitScotland Regional Director, said:
“In the current economic climate, it’s more important than ever that we take a collaborative approach to promoting tourism. We will continue to work with our colleagues in Aberdeenshire Council and the local tourism industry to ensure that the information provision available to visitors to the region meets future demands and expectations.
“It is important for VisitScotland to consistently review how it delivers information, to ensure that we meet the needs of our visitors. The way that our visitors access information about Scotland has changed dramatically in the last decade, with an increased focus on digital channels, and we are responding to those changes to make sure we are reaching people in the most effective way we can.
“We are absolutely delighted to be part of these collaborations with the library services at Banchory and Braemar and we hope in inspire visitors and residents alike with both the fictional and factual information on offer!”
Aberdeenshire Council’s Head of Lifelong Learning and Leisure, John Harding, said:
“We have already had very positive feedback regarding the collaboration between the Library Service and VisitScotland in Braemar and we are looking forward to seeing a similar service promote Banchory as a tourist destination, with plenty for visitors to see and do in the area.
“Scott Skinner Square is one of the town’s focal points and with current proposals underway to regenerate it, this new partnership should entice many more to visit and see exactly what, in the words of the famous musician himself, ‘Bonnie Banchory’ has to offer.”
Visitors will be able to access information from Banchory Library, in Scott Skinner Square, Banchory, during the season April-October as follows: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday - 10am to 7pm; Thursday – 10am to 2.30pm and Saturday – 10am to 3pm.
Braemar VisitScotland Information Centre is located in The Mews, Mar Road, Braemar, and is currently open from 9.30am to 4.30pm daily, and 9.30pm-5pm daily, from 18 May.
Topics
- Tourism
Categories
- corporate communications
Regions
- Scotland
Notes to Editors
- Follow us on twitter: @visitscotnews
- VisitScotland is Scotland’s national tourism organisation. Its core purpose is to maximise the economic benefit of tourism to Scotland.
- The organisation has three key roles:
- To market Scotland to all parts of the world to attract visitors
- To provide information – and inspiration – to visitors and potential visitors so they get the best out of a visit to Scotland
- To provide quality assurance to visitors and quality advice to the industry and partners to help the industry meet and strive to exceed customer expectations
- VisitScotland works together with tourism businesses to make tourism a success for everyone and ensure the industry continues to grow.
- The organisation employs 700 people and has offices and VisitScotland Information Centres across Scotland.
- According to a recent Deloitte study, the tourism economy supports 270,000 jobs in Scotland in 20,000 diverse businesses. The same study calculates that the tourism economy contributes £11 billion annually (direct and indirect impact, including day visits) and supports around 10 per cent of employment in Scotland. Almost 16 million tourists take overnight trips to Scotland.
- For VisitScotland’s press releases go to http://www.visitscotland.org/media_centre.aspx, tourism statistics and frequently asked questions go to http://www.visitscotland.org/
- Where possible, a Gaelic speaker will be made available for broadcast interviews on request (Far an tèid iarraidh, agus far am bheil sin nar comas, bruidhinnidh neach le Gàidhlig aig agallamh)
- For holiday information on Scotland go to www.visitscotland.com
- For information about business tourism in Scotland go to www.conventionscotland.com
Year of Food and Drink 2015
- 2015 is the Year of Food and Drink, a celebration of Scotland’s natural larder and the role that food and drink plays in shaping our economic success.
- Scotland generates over £2.5m per day through food and drink tourism.
- A series of themed months will create an appetite for key areas of Scotland’s food and drink industries – from seafood and whisky to berries and high-quality meat
- For more information, visit www.visitscotland.com/tastescotland
