POLITICIANS will be walking on water when they help Brunel’s ss Great Britain prepare for visitors and a wedding – as part of British Tourism Week (March 23 to 29).
Bristol MPs Kerry McCarthy, Roger Berry and Stephen Williams will join the crew on board Brunel’s ss Great Britain on Friday afternoon (March 27).
They are taking up the challenge from VisitBritain, the UK’s tourism body, to ‘go back to the floor’ – in this case made of glass. The MPs will be taking time out of their busy parliamentary schedule to help prepare Brunel’s ss Great Britain for visitors and a wedding party.
Replacing smart shoes for Wellington boots, they will step on to the glass waterline plate surrounding the ss Great Britain and, using a giant squeegee, give it a clean!
The glass ‘sea’, forms the roof of the giant dehumidification chamber, and gives the impression that the Victorian ship is afloat. Visitors descend below water as part of their visit to Brunel’s ss Great Britain, before stepping back in time in the Dockyard Museum and boarding the historic ship.
After they have helped clean the glass ‘sea’, the ss Great Britain Trust’s Director Matthew Tanner MBE will take the MPs on a private tour of the multi award-winning visitor attraction, and treat them to afternoon tea and cake in the Dockyard Café.
It is part of a series of events organised by Brunel’s ss Great Britain to celebrate this year’s British Tourism Week.
Steward Bob Evans, who features on this year’s British Tourism Week poster, will be interviewed by EnjoyEngland as he is shortlisted to win gold or silver at the tourism body’s EnjoyEngland Excellence Awards 2009 for ‘outstanding customer service’.
Bob will be on hand to share some of his experiences with the MPs and his tips on good customer care.
Brunel’s ss Great Britain is also organising a sumptuous showcase event for marketeers, PAs and event organisers during British Tourism Week. And ‘Mr Brunel’, an actor in character and costume will be joining tourism colleagues to promote Bristol at the ‘Best of Britain and Ireland Show’ in London.
British Tourism Week this year focusses on the economic impact of tourism, worth £86 billion to the UK.
Destination Bristol, the city’s tourism body, estimates the sector is worth just under £1 billion to Bristol per annum. There are an estimated eight million visitors to the city per year.
As an independent museum and visitor attraction Brunel’s ss Great Britain receives no central or local government funding. The registered charity relies on visitors, venue hire, weddings and civil ceremonies, to care for the historic ship.
The ss Great Britain Trust employs 50 staff, in addition to contractors from Bristol and the south west. Brunel’s ss Great Britain attracts 170,000 visitors and venue hire clients per annum, and with a third of visitors coming from outside of the region, it also helps to bring money into the city of Bristol.
The ss Great Britain Trust’s Director Matthew Tanner commented: “I am personally delighted to welcome the Members of Parliament on board Brunel’s ss Great Britain during British Tourism Week.
“It gives us the opportunity to show the MPs the work and high standards of customer service which go into running a successful museum and visitor attraction.”
Mr Tanner added: “This year’s British Tourism Week theme focusses on the economic value of tourism. As well as employing staff and contractors from the city and the south west, Brunel’s ss Great Britain draws people to Bristol from across the UK, who spend money in the city. Brunel’s ss Great Britain alongside other visitor attractions and museums play a significant role in the local economy.”
Stephen Williams MP commented: “I first visited the ss Great Britain over 20 years ago. I’ve watched its transformation since into a multi-award winning tourist attraction. I enjoy visiting historic attractions all over Britain and am proud that one of the best of them is in my constituency.”
Dr. Roger Berry MP said: “I am delighted to be joining the British Tourism Week celebrations on board Brunel’s ss Great Britain.
“Tourism plays such a major role in the local, regional and national economy. It will be quite an experience to help clean the glass ‘sea’ in preparation for visitors and a wedding party!”
Kerry McCarthy MP commented: “I was very pleased to be invited along to the ss Great Britain, one of our major tourist attractions in Bristol, for the launch of this year’s British Tourism Week. The Bristol area has so much to offer visitors, from arts, culture, good food and shopping, to historical attractions such as the ss Great Britain. I hope we can encourage as many people as possible to put Bristol on their list of ‘places to visit’ for 2009 by doing our bit to promote British Tourism Week.”
Destination Bristol’s Marketing Executive, Kerrie Grist, remarked: “Bristol is a currently the seventh most visited UK city for international tourists and also very popular as a short break destination for UK residents.
“Brunel’s magnificent ss Great Britain plays a significant role in attracting these visitors. We are naturally delighted to have their support in showcasing the city at key events such as the forthcoming ‘Best of Britain and Ireland Show’.”
Bookmark this page
What's this?