First ever UK office for the Region of Valencia

The Valencia Region Tourist Board has opened its first ever tourist information office in the UK.

p>The Valencia Region Tourist Board has opened its first ever tourist information office in the UK.

The ?Tourist Info Comunitat Valenciana ? London? was inaugurated by the President of the Government of the Valencia Region, Mr Francisco Camps.

The new office, located in central London (34 Seymour Street, near Marble Arch), will help promote the region as a tourist destination in the UK and Ireland, and provide valuable support to the travel trade and media, being a first port of call for travel professionals looking for information and advice about the Region of Valencia.

Jose Miguel Vilar has been appointed as the Manager of the new London Tourist Info, and will be attending any queries from the trade as well as the general public and the media. The Tourist Info Comunitat Valenciana London can be contacted by email to londres@touristinfo.net or by phone on 020 7563 7132.

Agents can also visit the office to browse through a wide range of literature and learn more about the destination using an interactive touch screen.

Commenting on the opening, the Tourism Minister for the Region of Valencia, Angelica Such, said: ?We want to show our commitment to the British market by making our destination more accessible than ever, through a local office which can give British visitors all the information they need to plan their trip to the Region of Valencia. From information on where to stay or what festivals and events are taking place, to ideas for family holidays or those seeking culture or adventure, the Tourist Info is here to help.?

The opening of the new tourist information office ? only the second one to open outside of Spain ? is the tourist board?s latest initiative to help boost the number of British visitors, which has suffered a drop as a consequence of the recession.

UK remains the most important foreign market for the Region of Valencia, accounting for 44% of the total. Nearly 2.5 million British tourists visited the region in 2008, with Benidorm and other resorts on the Costa Blanca, as well as the city of Valencia, being the most popular destinations. The Region of Valencia offers a wide variety of holiday experiences, from traditional beach holidays in Benidorm or other resorts on the Costa Blanca and Costa Azahar to active holidays in the unspoilt valleys and mountains of the interior, or city breaks in Valencia or Alicante. Visitors can also enjoy the region?s gastronomy, including the most famous local dish, the Valencian paella, and choose from hundreds of special events, from local festivals to international sporting events like the F1 European Grand Prix in Valencia. For more information on the Region of Valencia go to www.comunitatvalenciana.com.