BARRY Island’s traditional Tourist Information Centre (TIC) is to be replaced by a new approach to distributing information about attractions in the area.

Day trippers and holidaymakers will instead be able to access details about local sights, activities and accommodation from a variety of venues, including pubs, restaurants, shops, council offices and libraries.

A TIC on Penarth seafront will also close.

Vale of Glamorgan’s cabinet member for regeneration, innovation, planning and transportation, Cllr Lis Burnett, said it was about making the service more convenient for visitors.

She said: “In most cases, visitors undertake research before visiting a destination and do not wait until they are able to visit a traditional tourist information centre.

“After researching the web, those visitors who still require information are increasingly expecting to find it in a variety of convenient places, and so we feel this move will help us to make our tourism leaflets and booklets more readily available in new outlets to the many thousands of visitors to the Vale of Glamorgan.”

Information will still be available on the council website.

Cllr Burnett said the council intends to maximise the use of web-based and social media marketing in the future to help raise the profile of the Vale of Glamorgan as a holiday destination. She said: “The council also sees this move as an opportunity to develop even closer links with local traders who would be interested in becoming tourism ambassadors for the Vale and stocking leaflets and booklets about the local area.”