Very useful for both the tourists and the local people, a Tourist Office is generally present in every touristic region or locality. In itself, it is a whole organization. What is its main role?

What is a tourist office?

Also known as visitor center, visitor information center and sometimes as tourist information center, the tourist office is a physical location where visitors can collect tourist information. Throughout the world, we can find different kind of visitor center.

First, there are the visitor center that is at the same time an attraction or a place of interest. For example, there are landmarks, national parks, national forests and state parks that are used as visitor center.

Within these centers, tourists can collect information such as trail maps, camp sites, staff contact and restrooms. They can also find out in-depth educational exhibits and artifact displays such as natural or cultural history.

Besides, we can have a tourist information center that provides visitors to a location with information related to. We can get there all you want that is relevant to the attractions, the lodgings but also the maps and the other items related to tourism.

You can commonly meet these tourist information centers at the airport or within the port entry. Sometimes, they are even located within the chamber of commerce. And finally , there are the corporate visitor  center. These last give to the visitors an simple and accessible window into the corporation.

As far as the Ancenis tourist office, it is implemented in front of a castle. Once you get there, you will be received by a staff who will take care of you and who will suggest you all the activities you may do within the region.

Once you get there, you could be informed about your whole journey. They may give you important information in association with the tourist sites, the airports, the rental cars, the campsites, the vacation rentals but also the cities and towns, the different possible outings, the leisure and activities, the restaurants, the hotels and the bed and breakfasts.

Roles and functions of tourist office

Visitor information centers are primarily responsible for promoting local tourism products and services; and consequently, have direct impacts upon the economic, social, and recreational well‐being of the region in which they are located.

As it is part of the government, the tourist office is a body that is responsible for the implementation and formulation of national tourist policy. It is the own agency and instrument for the execution of the national government’s responsibilities for the maintaining, management and promotion of tourism within the region or the country.

For that, if a country decide to engage in tourism and has a national tourism organization, it should  play a leading role in both the formulation and the implementation of the government’s tourism project during a period of time.

This entity is also responsible for the coordination of the various activities of all the bodies related to tourism development. In some countries, the national tourist organization can be a board, a corporation, a department, a directorate general or even a full- fledged ministry

But there are specific countries that indicate that the only role of the Tourist Information Centresis to propose some services related to the different accommodation booking, route planning and tickets for theatre and events.

Apart from that, they should also offer a shop where tourists can purchase maps, books, guides and gifts during their visit to the place or within the specific site. Which is very practical and almost universal as far as its utility and operating role are concerned.