Winter breaks are highlighted by Bath Tourism

24th September 2008

Bath Tourism Plus is pleased to announce the launch of its latest campaign, 'Winter Highlights', which promotes the city and the surrounding area to potential visitors during the winter season. There is a brochure and a dedicated section on the official tourism website www.visitbath.co.uk/winter which is packed full of information.

The traditionally quieter months between September and March are promoted in the campaign which highlights the popular Bath Christmas Market as well as other festivals and events, revitalising spa breaks, romantic getaways and Christmas shopping.

Strongly supported by the local tourism industry, the campaign has now run for several years and has proved to be very successful. Robin Bischert, Chief Executive of Bath Tourism Plus, says: 'We are very lucky that there is such a wealth of events and festivals that take place over the winter months, unlike many other destinations, so we attract a lot of consumer and media attention.'

Although September and October are traditionally the 'wind down' period for holiday destinations, the festival season never stops in Bath. There is a buzzing year-round programme on offer and a range of exciting events are highlighted to entice people to Bath, including Christmas at Claverton (22 November - 14 December), Enchanted Christmas at Westonbirt (28 November - 21 December), Jack and the Beanstalk, this year's pantomime at the Theatre Royal (18 December - 25 January), New Year's Eve celebrations and the Bath Literature Festival (28 February - 8 March) to name a few.

Ideas on things to see and attractions to visit from exploring Glastonbury Abbey or experiencing a Georgian Christmas at No. 1 Royal Crescent to enjoying cabaret and comedy at Komedia which will be opening in the former Beau Nash Cinema on Westgate Street on the 13 November, are also provided in the brochure and website. Visitors travelling by train with First Great Western will be able to take advantage of a promotion which will begin next month and will entitle 2 for 1 entry at many of the city's attractions including the Roman Baths and Thermae Bath Spa. More information will soon be available on the First Great Western website.

The Winter Highlights brochure is also the official programme for the Bath Christmas Market and provides details of all of the retailers who will be at the market this year as well as a chalet location map to help visitors find their way around the market site. The event will begin on the 27 November - which will coincide with the switch on of the Christmas Lights and start of late night shopping - and will finish on the 7 December. Bath Tourism Plus are highlighting the city as an ideal Christmas shopping destination with its unique mix of high street stores and independent shops, late night shopping and the festive market where visitors are sure to find an unusual gift. Shoppers will also be able to discover a new shopping area at Milsom Place which has seen over a year of development and has been completely transformed. In addition to the existing food outlets including Le Parisien and the Moon and Sixpence, celebrity chef Jamie Oliver will be adding another restaurant to the list with his affordable Italian eaterie, Jamie's Italian, due to open next month.

The free brochure can be collected from the Bath Tourist Information Centre just off York Street, or by logging onto www.visitbath.co.uk/winter.

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Notes to Editors:
For further information or images to illustrate this information, please contact Lucy Weaver at Bath Tourism Plus on 01225 477441 or email: lucy_weaver@bathtourism.co.uk.

Bath Tourism Plus
Working with the public and private sectors, Bath's destination marketing organisation, Bath Tourism Plus, takes full responsibility for co-ordinating the work of a busy tourist information centre, the marketing of Bath and the surrounding area to leisure and business travellers, PR activity to attract the nation's top travel writers, a conference office, and development of Bath's official destination website www.visitbath.co.uk

For more information about the services that Bath Tourism Plus offers to meetings, conference and incentive travel businesses, see www.bathconference.co.uk

Travel to Bath
Bath is easy to access from all over the UK and the world.

High speed, direct train services operated by First Great Western link Bath Spa train station to London and its major airports. Bath Spa train station is well situated, just 5 minutes level walk into the city centre's main shopping and tourist areas. See: www.firstgreatwestern.co.uk

Bristol International Airport is just 15 miles from Bath and operates direct flights from New York and Orlando in the USA, as well as most major European and UK airports. An express bus service to Bristol Temple Meads train station operates throughout the day, and Bath is just a 20 minute train journey from there. See: www.bristolairport.co.uk

Bath is also easy to access by car, from junction 18 of the M4 motorway which links Bath to Bristol, London and South Wales.

There are three Park & Ride services on the outskirts of the city which operate fast, frequent services into the city centre, offering a hassle free, cost effective way of reaching the city centre.