Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Be able to use reference sources to
provide information on the UK as a
destination
SECTION 5
Each of th
e
se
websites has a wealth of information
on desti
na
tions and tourist facilities in their respective
areas and some have mini-sites that focus on activities
such as walking, cycling, golf, gardens, etc. Many local
authorities in the UK have their own tourism websites,
which promote the facilities in their local areas.
Working in travel and tourism often calls for a detailed
knowledge of UK destinations and the features that
appeal to different types of visitors. Luckily, you are not
expected to know everything about every destination
in the UK the minute you start your job! Knowledge
a
n
d
experience of destinations grows over time. Howe
v
er,
what you will be expected to know very quickl
y
are the
main sources of information on UK destinations, which
is the topic we look at fi rst in this section of the unit.
Brochures
Even in today's technological world, brochures still
play an important part in providing information about
UK destinations and persuading people to visit. All
the National Tourist Boards - VisitBritain, Visit Wales,
Visit Scotland and the Northern Ireland Tourist Board -
produce main brochures to sell their destinations and
more specifi c brochures aimed at particular groups,
e.g. walkers, cyclists, anglers, garden lovers, etc. These
brochures are distributed in the UK and overseas in
response to enquiries and at holiday shows. Local
authorities produce brochures and leafl ets on their local
areas, which usually include details of accommodation,
attractions, places to eat, local transport and events.
It is common for tourism brochures to be made
available for download on tourist board websites.
Brochures are often the main promotional tool for UK
tourism businesses, including hotels, guesthouses,
B&Bs, inns, youth hostels, attractions, sports facilities,
coach companies, etc. It is important to remember
that brochures are sales tools so may not always give
an unbiased view of a holiday destination or travel
product.
Atlases
Atlases are an ex
ce
llent starting point for locating
popular tourist d
es
tinations and other areas of the UK.
They usually
h
a
v
e a range of maps at different scales and
often incl
u
de
information on weather and attractions.
The
Wo
r
ld Travel Atlas
published by Columbus Travel
Guid
e
s is produced specially for people working in
tra
v
el and tourism. As well as a variety of general and
s
p
ecialist maps, it includes detailed information on
airports, heritage areas, National Parks and transport
routes.
Internet
The internet is an excellent source of information on UK
tourism, but the secret is discovering the really useful
websites amongst the millions that search engines
fi nd! A good starting point is the website of VisitBritain
(
www.visitbritain.com
), where you will fi nd information
on UK destinations, events, accommodation and
attractions. The National Tourist Boards have their own
websites, which are:
Visit Wales -
Statistical data
•
www.visitwales.com
;
Visit Scotland -
Statistics on UK inbound and domestic tourism are
available from a number of reliable sources, including
VisitBritain (
www.visitbritain.org
), the websites of the
National Tourist Boards (see above) and the Offi ce for
National Statistics (
www.statistics.gov.uk
). Registered
•
www.visitscotland.com
;
•
England -
www.enjoyengland.com
;
Northern Ireland Tourist Board -
•
www.discovernorthernireland.com
.
