Somerset West and Taunton (SWT) Council has commissioned Visit Exmoor and Visit Somerset to develop and host a searchable online ‘Events & Things to Do’ platform for the area.
The platform, which has been funded by SWT’s ERDF Welcome Back Fund, is hosted on Visit Exmoor’s website and enables event organisers and representatives from towns and villages across the district to submit information about local events via an online form.
Visitors to the platform can search and filter events of interest according to type, location and date, and to check whether they are free of charge, family or wheelchair friendly.
The events calendar is being promoted via Visit Exmoor and Visit Somerset’s social media pages, which have a combined audience of over 100,000 followers across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Portfolio Holder for Economic Development, Councillor Marcus Kravis, said: “We’re really pleased to offer this platform to help promote and celebrate all that’s wonderful about Somerset West and Taunton. It gives event organisers the chance to promote themselves, as well as providing inspiration for things to do for residents and visitors alike.
“We understand that to nurture our local economies, we need to raise Somerset West and Taunton’s profile as a quality place destination, and this is a great platform to support that. We’ll be promoting the platform extensively in partnership with Visit Exmoor and Visit Somerset over the next few weeks and I encourage organisers not to miss out by listing their events free of charge via the platform.”
CEO for Visit Exmoor, Emma Thomasson, said: “This project shows a commitment to aiding our towns and villages across West Somerset and Taunton with a platform to promote all the events going on within the area. Events are an important part of our towns and communities, attracting visitors to the area and supporting our rural economy.
“This is a fantastic opportunity for us all to work together and to promote all the exciting events our area has to offer visitors and locals alike.”
CEO for Visit Somerset, John Turner, said: “This is a really positive development for the West of the region, helping to increase the awareness for all of the West Somerset and Taunton District. The area has a positive reputation for putting on some amazing events and festivals and we look forward to creating even greater interest through our digital channels”.