June 8, 2015 9.59 am This story is over 105 months old

Gold star rating for Lincoln Visitor Information Centre

Top of the trips: Trip Advisor has awarded a Certificate of Excellence to the Lincoln Visitor’s Information Centre, as the city prepares for a tourism boom.

Lincoln Visitor Information Centre Manager Michele Sims.

As businesses and attractions prepare for a bumper year of Lincoln tourism, the city’s Visitor Information Centre is scoring top recommendations from online reviewers.

Staff working at the centre on Castle Hill are celebrating a double success as the city gears-up to welcome thousands more tourists.

Hotels and guesthouses are rapidly filling up ahead of Lincoln Business Improvement Group’s Great Magna Carta Weekend (June 13/14) which features a programme bursting with exciting events for the whole family.

The barons are on the Lincoln trail as part of the Magna Carta 800th anniversary celebrations.

The barons are on the Lincoln trail as part of the Magna Carta 800th anniversary celebrations.

The Visitor Information Centre, managed by Lincoln BIG, has just received a Certificate of Excellence from Trip Advisor, after being given a 4.5 rating (out of a possible score of 5).

This comes after the centre achieved a World Host Customer Service Programme Certificate of Excellence, which was used to polish the skills of staff and volunteers.

VIC Manager Michele Sims said: “The Trip Advisor certificate is another feather in our cap.

“We are particularly delighted because it is based on the opinions of members of the public. It is huge recognition, as we are continually being assessed every day, and to show such a high score is testament to the team providing a consistently high quality service.

“Every member of the VIC team is used to dealing with people face-to-face and over the telephone. We know how important it is to offer a top quality service, but going on the World Host programme was valuable and offered us some great tips.

“We are thrilled that we have already been able to start putting our enhanced skills into practice, having already seen a huge surge in visitor numbers following the re-opening of Lincoln Castle, including the new Magna Carta Vault, in the wake of the historic monument’s £22 million revamp.

“Our team is up to full strength and we are really looking forward to offering a warm welcome to the many new visitors we are expecting to come to Lincoln over the coming months.”

Lincoln BIG Chief Executive Matt Corrigan said: “To maintain such a consistent positive response rate in a forum as challenging as Trip Advisor, where people can be quick to find fault, is a great tribute to all of the staff at the Visitor Information Centre, including those who may just work there for a few hours a week.”