Lack of staff closes Bristol Visitors Center

Closing prompts larger discussion on tourism in Bristol

Posted 5/31/16

Bristol’s first Town Crier uniform, every 4th of July button through the years, photographs of town’s rich history and its Independence Day celebrations, and important historic documents join …

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Lack of staff closes Bristol Visitors Center

Closing prompts larger discussion on tourism in Bristol

Posted

Bristol’s first Town Crier uniform, every 4th of July button through the years, photographs of town’s rich history and its Independence Day celebrations, and important historic documents join other Bristol artifacts at the Bristol Visitors Center.

But they are all under lock and key, no longer accessible to the public.

The Newport and Bristol County Convention and Visitors Bureau normally provides staff members from May to September to man the information booth at the Burnside Building on Hope Street, pointing tourists to town’s historical and cultural hotspots, suggesting places to eat or stay in town, and opening the visitors center’s small museum on the building’s first floor.

However, the bureau — which gets much of its budget from hotel and restaurant taxes — is not staffing the Bristol Visitors Center this year, citing diminished funds and dwindling visitation at the center.

“They didn’t feel the effort and the cost was worthwhile,” Town Administrator Antonio Teixeira said, noting the town has always provided the space, but the bureau has provided the staff. “We certainly have an interest in having them there. It used to be good for the town, but with new technology, it’s easier for people to access information. They’re not going to stop in there.”

Indeed, just about 4,000 people dropped into the Visitors Center last year, Mr. Teixeira said, compared with the tens of thousands of people who visit other attractions in the town, including Blithewold Mansion, the Audubon Society and Mount Hope Farm.

Mr. Teixeira said he does not anticipate the Convention and Visitors Bureau reinstating the staff members any time soon, and there is no room in the Bristol budget to provide staffing.

As an alternative, the town is looking at placing pamphlet kiosks at such tourist destinations in town, advertising other attractions, restaurants and places to stay. Such a kiosk can be found in Town Hall just behind the Burnisde Building, where Teixeira said plenty of town employees are able and willing to give tourists or residents any information they would have found at the Visitors Center. There is also the new Maritime Center on Thames Street, where tourist information could be disseminated, he said.

“Some feel the Visitors Center must happen,” Teixeira said. “But do we need it?”

That and other questions will be the topic of discussion when tourism entities from around the town and region meet Thursday to discuss the future of tourism in town. Such groups as Explore Bristol, the East Bay Chamber of Commerce, the Bristol Merchants Association and the Bristol Economic Development Council will meet for a tourism summit Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Audubon Society off Hope Street.

The summit actually came about from conversations regarding the Bristol Visitors Center. In trying to determine who would use the space or staff the center — possibly the 4th of July Committee which also has space in the Burnside Building — the town’s power brokers decided a more comprehensive discussion about tourism is needed.

“We need a town plan for tourism,” Mr. Teixeira said. “We’re trying to develop a vision for the town — how to allocate funds for tourism.”

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