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New Foreign Language Website

17th November 2006

Bonjour, Guten Tag & Hola Bath!

www.visitbath.fr, www.visitbath.es, www.visitbath.de

Bath and the surrounding area are now providing a warmer welcome visitors from the continent, as Bath Tourism Plus (the destination marketing organisation for Bath and the surrounding area), announce the launch of three new websites in French, German and Spanish.

Just like their English 'cousin' visitbath.co.uk, the websites explain the many reasons to take a short break in Bath and the surrounding area - listing all of the area's attractions, accommodation, tours, restaurants and places to visit.

It is hoped that this launch is merely the beginning of the production of a whole family of websites for Bath, to help in promoting the city as the international destination that it is. The next translations are planned to be in Japanese and Mandarin.

Robin Bischert, Chief Executive of Bath Tourism Plus says: 'French, German and Spanish were obvious choices for languages for the first websites, because demand from these countries has been steadily increasing. The International Passenger Survey in 2005 showed that 72% of international visitors to the UK were from Europe, and France, Germany and Spain are all included in the top five of a list of the European countries who visited the UK the most. We want to ensure that we, as a destination, can capitalise on these huge numbers of visitors to the country, and make them aware of all that Bath has to offer them as a destination.'

Demand for tourism products in other languages has already been proven in Bath by the popularity of foreign language audio tours at the Roman Baths. In the first eight months of this year, the French tour was used by over 35,000 visitors to the attraction, more than 17,500 people used the German version and over 14,000 the Spanish.

Bath Tourism Plus are now using the websites to more effectively encourage visitors from France, Germany and Spain to travel that little bit further into Britain to discover the 'typically English' way of life that Bath has built a well deserved reputation for. And with the launch of Thermae Bath Spa just a few months ago, the media spotlight is still on Bath, making this the perfect time to announce this new development. Working with partners such as Visit Britain and South West Tourism, Bath Tourism Plus will be targeting journalists, groups and consumers in these countries, using the new websites to help 'sell' the city to potential visitors.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

For further information please contact Debbie Ponting at Bath Tourism Plus:
01225 477441
debbie_ponting@bathtourism.co.uk

Foreign Language Websites:
URLs for the new sites are: www.visitbath.fr, www.visitbath.es, www.visitbath.de
They can also be accessed by clicking on the flags on the homepage of www.visitbath.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

Bath Tourism Plus is also responsible for the organisation and management of the Bath Christmas Market www.bathchristmasmarket.co.uk