VISITORS to Bolton's Tourist Information Centre (TIC) can be assured of an excellent welcome after staff completed advanced customer care training.

The Welcome Host programme is a series of training courses specially designed for tourism-related businesses.

Staff at the TIC, based in the central library foyer, have trained in advanced communication and customer service skills, attracting and retaining customers and converting enquiries into sales.

The TIC has now been presented with a plaque recognising that all staff have completed this new training.

The news comes as the TIC staff celebrated the results of a recent customer satisfaction survey.

The research revealed that 83 per cent of customers rated the centre's service as good or excellent.

Comments included: "Very friendly and helpful staff with lots of knowledge of Bolton and its surrounding areas" and "Excellent and very helpful; informative, good customer care".