Leading tourism company Visitor Solutions has been selected by the Thames Community Board to deliver the town's promotion and event marketing project.

The company was awarded the Thames Promotion Services contract on a one year term and have been tasked to raise the profile of town to attract more visitors, events and businesses.

The iconic Thames monument. Photo: Kester Bradwell/File

'We're thrilled to kick start a new phase of promotion for the town, something that has been sorely needed for many years,” says board chair Strat Peters.

Visitor Solutions has worked on tourism, art and community development projects which includes the 2011 Waihi Gold Discovery Centre concept development.

Leading the Thames project will be Visitor Solution managing director Craig Jones, who was behind the ‘Footprints Waipoua' concept, judged by Lonely Planet to be one of the top 100 ecotourism experiences.

Craig also worked on the redevelopment of Te Rerenga Wairua (Cape Reinga) to repair the cultural and environmental integrity of the site and improve the visitor experience.

'The tourism industry is ever-changing but one thing always remains true,” explains Craig, 'you have to stand out to succeed.

'Providing that unique point of difference and continually monitoring and optimising the offer are some of the keys to ongoing success.”

The community board's priorities in the first year of the project are to develop and promote a visitor attraction strategy and ‘brand' reflecting Thames' unique character and optimises visitor attraction.

It will also look to provide promotional and coordination support to Thames' events community, plus develop promotional tools and products including a renewed Thames-focused destination website.

Visitor Solutions will work closely with the community and established stakeholder group to develop and roll out the project strategy, starting with a project update workshop on Thursday, December 3.

Project group member Karl Edmonds says it's exciting to see the project kicking off.

'We really look forward to engaging with the community to optimise visitor growth and opportunity for our town.”