Whether planning a holiday, visiting friends and family or you live locally and just want to know more about what is happening in the Borough and beyond, why not make the Borough's tourist information centres your first port of call?

There are two tourist information centres based in the Ards Borough - Ards Tourist Information Centre is open year round, while Portaferry Tourist Information and Visitor Centre is open on a seasonal basis from Easter until the end of September. There is also a Local Information Office (LIO) based in Donaghadee. Both Tourist Information Centres are holders of Chartermark - a nationally recognised award for Customer Service Excellence.

Services for the visitor in Ards and Portaferry Tourist Information Centres:

• Guidance on where to go, what to see and what to do
• Local and national information on places to stay
• An all-Ireland accommodation reservation system
• Fax, photocopying and laminating services
• 24 hour public access information facility
• Information available in foreign languages, Braille and other formats
• Induction loop hearing system
• BT Openzone - wireless internet connection (Ards TIC only)
• An extensive range of maps, gifts and souvenirs to take home or abroad
• "The Learning Zone" -information support for schools and colleges (Ards TIC only)
• Varied exhibition programme as part of the "Art in the Loft" series in Portaferry Tourist Information and Visitor Centre throughout the season
• Ticket agent for Experience Ards tours and the three main Ards Borough Council organised events - Lough Lively (May), Creative Peninsula (August) and Festival of the Peninsula (September)
• Staff available to provide presentations to local schools and colleges

Where to find us?

Friendly staff will be happy to assist with any queries you may have:

Ards Tourist Information Centre
31 Regent Street
Newtownards
BT23 4AD

T: 028 9182 6846
F: 028 9182 6681
tourism@ards-council.gov.uk

Open all year round: Monday - Friday 9.15-5pm, Saturday 9.30-5pm, Sunday Closed

Portaferry Tourist Information and Visitor Centre
The Stables
Castle Street
Portaferry
BT22 1NZ

T: 028 4272 9882
F: 028 4272 9833
tourism-portaferry@ards-council.gov.uk

Seasonal Opening Hours from Easter to September.
Monday- Saturday 10-5pm, Sunday 2-6pm

Ards and Portaferry Tourist Information Centres and Chartermark

Ards and Portaferry Tourist Information Centres are holders of Chartermark status. We are constantly striving to improve our service and standards.

What you should expect from us?

Our staff will aim to:

• Answer the telephone within 10 seconds
• Respond to enquiries requiring a written response within 3 working days
• Acknowledge electronic enquiries within 2 working days
• Complaints will be responded to within 10 working days

We will also:

• Be pleasant, helpful and courteous at all times
• Wear a name badge
• Provide the name of the advisor in all correspondence
• Brand our post with an Ards Tourism franking label to enhance promotion and remain identifiable

Comments and Suggestions

We are constantly trying to improve our service and standards. If you have any comments or suggestions about services or standards in Ards and Portaferry Tourist Information Centre or would like to request further information, please do not hesitate to contact us either in person, in writing, by telephone, email, fax or complete the online comment form.

Recent Improvements to our service

• New itineraries developed on a variety of themes for visitors (and locals) to the Borough
• New visitor servicing literature available, free of charge
• Games and activities for children available in Portaferry Tourist Information and Visitor Centre
• Ards Tourist Information Centre staff were awarded "highly commended" in the recent Customer Service Ireland Awards (June 2007)
• Podcasts based on walking guides of the Borough
• Ards Tourist Information Centre awarded "highly commended" in the NITB Tourism Awards held in May 08