Annual Review

VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE
2017 has been an exciting year
for Chester’s Visitor Information
Centre.
The retail offer has been
transformed, both in terms of
presentation and the products
available. New ranges have been
introduced, including a Christmas
in Chester range, featuring locally
themed decorations and cards.
Expansion of the VIC’s popular
Alice in Wonderland range,
the introduction of Chester FC
memorabilia and the remarkable
success of the Mid Cheshire Line
railway posters & postcards have
further helped lift retail sales.
The opening of Storyhouse in
the heart of the Chester has
contributed to very healthy
theatre & concert ticket sales at
the VIC, while demand remains
strong for tickets to a wide range
of local visitor attractions and
Cheshire events. The ticketing
offer continues to expand, with last
year seeing the VIC begin to sell
tickets for Arriva North West &
North Wales buses and EasyBus to
complement the existing National
Express ticket offer. Jones
Holidays UK breaks (now part of
Alpine Travel) can now be booked
at the VIC, further expanding the
range of services on offer to local
residents as well as visitors.
One day events at the VIC have
really taken off over the last
year. Regular ‘Meet the Artist’
days have given local artists the
opportunity to showcase their
work while helping generate
additional footfall, while the VIC’s
involvement in Chester’s 2017
Pokemon Go event resulted in an
unprecedented level of visitors
coming through the door over a
weekend in July. Local supplier
events, including tea merchants
and biscuit bakers have added to
the mix.
The VIC now has its own
social media presence, further
encouraging visitors and locals
alike to pop in and see what the
VIC has to offer.
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