THE recently redeveloped Stanbrook Abbey and its Callow Great Hall and Thompson Dining Hall hosted Destination Worcestershire’s annual tourism forum.

One year on from the launch of the new tourism partnership, Destination Worcestershire wanted to share with guests its achievements since moving to Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce.

More than 150 guests were greeted by a string quartet from the English Symphony Orchestra and led to the Thompson Dining Hall, where a handful of industry-focused businesses were exhibiting their services.

In Callow Great Hall, speakers included Mike Ashton, chief executive of Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, Jason Freezer, head of destination management at VisitEngland, Professor Judith Elkin, chairman of Worcestershire Arts Partnership and Peter Pawsey, executive chairman of Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership.

Areca Design’s Mick Hurst also gave attendees a demonstration of augmented reality code technology, with an interactive tour of Evesham.

Mr Ashton said: "Tourism is a very important sector for Worcestershire's economy. It's very encouraging that so many businesses attended the event.

“As with most industries, tourism in Worcestershire needs to be able to adapt and diversify in these fast changing times. [The] speakers showed new technologies being used for visitors, talked about working with the arts and the national tourism marketing plans for 2013.

“Visitors to the Visit Worcestershire website have been consistently rising over the last 12 months and we are looking forward to a great 2013 for Worcestershire."