MONMOUTHSHIRE's Tourist Information Centres could be saved from closure according to a new report into the future of the outlets across the county.

 Kellie Beirne, Monmouthshire County Council's chief officer for regeneration and culture details how the county's three TICs should operate over the next five years and beyond, by operating a new business model and run the centres as 'mini-businesses' generating income to offset running costs.

The report, which is due to be presented to the Economy and Development Select Committee this week, suggests that the authority allows for re-investment in both physical and virtual TICs.

Ms Beirne suggests: "The Monmouth TIC needs to be rightfully returned to the Shire Hall. This would benefit the sensible integration of heritage and tourism alongside an opportunity to develop a sustainable shared service between the two operations.

"However, transplanting the Monmouth TIC into the Shire Hall will require a fundamental shift in thinking. The centre cannot operate as a discrete front of house function; it must be properly assimilated into the Shire Hall and new technologies, marketing tools and interactions."

The report reveals that Chepstow is probably the most complex of the authority's three TICs, in terms of mapping out its future.

Ms Beirne points out: "Chepstow does not have the immediate and obvious opportunity to integrate with another council or public service in the same way as Monmouth or Abergavenny and so the 'solution' has to be found in a different way."

The report reveals that a river boat company is proposing to open a visitor centre 70 metres from the current TIC building in spring 2012 to operate river cruises along the Wye leading to a suggestion that the authority could create a partnership with this centre.

The report also suggests that there needs to be more proactive in terms establishing a 'Monmouthshire brand' and highlights that some of the county's most spectacular and impressive attractions and 'stories' are not currently awarded sufficient visibility or promotion.

Over 40 organisations took part in the survey during the six week consultation period in which eight public meetings were held across the county.

Both Monmouth and Chepstow Chambers of Trade also presented the authority with a petition against the closure of their local TIC.

Ms Beirne added: "The strong view is that TICs and new technologies must play a part in creating visibility for those areas and attractions that are in the furthest reaches of the destination."

Ms Beirne concluded: "The business plan represents a new future for TICs and combined with investment in new digital technologies would see the centres fundamentally develop over time.

"This is an ideal opportunity to reinvent our Tourist Information Centres for the 21st century and develop robust business models for their future evolution. Staff members do not just have to constitute a team of paid employees; volunteers and trainees must also form part of the future.

"At present, visiting hours are not wholly customer friendly and more thought needs to be given to how TICs contribute to the destination's 'sense of place'."