The Council’s three Tourist Information Centres (TICs) in Aldeburgh, Felixstowe and Woodbridge have been awarded ‘official partner’ status by Enjoy England, the country’s official tourist board.

To become official partners the TICs needed to meet quality standards covering customer service, the level of staff training and the checked accommodation that is promoted and booked through the centres.

“Tourism is a vital part of our local Suffolk Coastal economy with around five million visitor trips to the district each year, an estimated spending of £219.6 million in 2006, and nearly one in ten of all local jobs being tourism-linked,” said Cllr Colin Hart, Cabinet Member for Economic Development.

“Our three TICs are open to visitors and residents alike, and are on hand to help with a range of information and services. They have always offered a friendly service and I am pleased that they are now gaining national recognition. This is a real credit to the hard work and dedication of our staff.

“Gaining this status of being an official partner of Enjoy England will help place  Suffolk Coastal even further in the forefront of people’s thoughts when it comes to considering a great place to visit,” added Cllr Hart.

This is the first year of the official partners scheme and the district’s three TICs are among only 230 around the country who can use the new Enjoy England sign which promises ‘the highest levels of customer service plus the latest Enjoy England campaign brochures’. To ensure that the standards are kept, Enjoy England also carries out mystery shopper visits.

The latest improvement to the services on offer at the district’s three TICs is the news that tourists and residents can now take bookings for the new Air Direct coach service running from Ipswich bus and railway stations to Stansted Airport. Operated by Excel Coaches, the new service runs every two hours, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The TICs have also entered into partnership as agents with Galloway Travel who are a local coach operator with an excellent reputation.  They specialise in quality coach holidays both in the UK and overseas as well as exciting day excursions.