TOURISM businesses across the Cotswolds are being given the unique chance to influence the way their official tourism authority works.

Cotswolds Tourism is a new Destination Management Organisation (DMO) whose sole aim is to increase both domestic and international tourism to the Cotswolds.

As part of an ambitious project to engage with both existing Cotswolds Tourism members, and anyone who may want to join the DMO, a series of business engagement sessions have been planned starting at the end of February.

Cotswolds Tourism’s Partnership Manager Susie Hunt says: “This is an exciting opportunity for any business involved in tourism to help the DMO better understand what support they need to grow their business. We genuinely want to hear from the industry about how we can help them as it would be arrogant of us to assume we have all the answers.”

The group will be a independent, not-for-profit, public/private sector company which is run by businesses themselves, with the support of local authorities.

There will be 12 informal sessions held across the area giving people the chance to find out more about the work that’s being done on tourism businesses behalf and to discover more about what businesses want the DMO to deliver in future.

On March 4 there will be a session at Moreton Area Centre, High Street, Moreton-in-Marsh, at 10am, 2pm and 6pm.

There will be also be sessions at the Great Hall at Westonbirt Arboretum, on March 5 at 10am, 2pm and 6pm and at The Kings Head Hotel, in the Market Place, Cirencester on March 6 at 10am, 2pm and 6pm.

Anyone interested in coming along should email Susie Hunt on susie.hunt@cotswold.gov.uk with their preferred date and time.