Our History

Find out about the history of Visit West: 

1999 - Bristol Tourism and Conference Bureau was incorporated and launched as  a joint-venture partnership between Bristol City Council and Bristol Chamber of Commerce, with 50 private sector businesses beginning the commercial membership programme.

2000 - The Bureau founded the South West Tourism Skills Network delivering workforce development programmes across the region, which is then contracted to the South West RDA and Learning and Skills Council to manage hospitality training throughout the region.

2003 – Bath Tourism Plus is established as a public/private partnership for Bath and North East Somerset.

2004 - The Bureau was renamed Destination Bristol and adopted a new constitution. In 2006, a regional tourism strategy was launched and Destination Bristol was formally designated as the DMO for Bristol and South Gloucestershire.

2005 - The Broadmead BID is established. 

2008 - Broadmead BID was also voted in for second term. The integration of the Broadmead Board and the Broadmead BID into Destination Bristol began and a business development roadmap agreed by partners paving the way to a merger to trade as Destination Bristol from August 2008. A new board of directors appointed and management structure agreed.

2010 - The Tourism Skills Network is wound up as the RDA begins to contract. 

2013 – The Broadmead BID is successfully voted in for a third five year term. 

2017 – Destination Bristol’s second BID, Bristol City Centre BID, begins after a successful vote. 

2018 – Bath Tourism Plus becomes Visit Bath. The Broadmead BID is successfully voted in for a fourth term.

2021 – Destination Bristol launches Redcliffe and Temple BID. Visit West is formed, bringing together Visit Bath’s DMO operation with Destination Bristol’s to create a regional DMO for the West of England.

2023 - Visit West becomes one of the first accredited Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEP) by Visit England.