TOURIST information centres in Christchurch and East Dorset will no longer be council-run as part of ongoing cost-cutting measures.

The Christchurch and East Dorset Partnership announced today they are reviewing the way it provides tourism information .

Twelve jobs – full and part time - are currently under review and Wimborne Information Centre could face closure in the autumn if no alternative plans come to fruition.

Officers claim the way potential visitors to the area look for information is changing to more online sources.

In Christchurch, the council intend to hand over the running of the High Street information centre to volunteers at the Regent Centre, just next door.

Building work would take place to integrate the information centre into the Regent Centre.

John Teather, chairman of the Regent Centre Board of Directors, said: “The Board are very keen to integrate the Information Centre and the Regent Centre to provide a seamless experience for visitors.

“They will be able to find out about the town and wider area and what it offers, perhaps buy a ticket for a film or show, buy a cup of coffee, then pass seamlessly into the foyer to view the exhibition and sit and soak-up the atmosphere.

“We are confident that we can continue to provide a good level of service to the public.”

However, arrangements for the Wimborne Tourist Information Centre are still up in the air with nothing finalised at present.

A third party is in talks to take over the service but in the event that no other proposals come forward, the Information Centre would close in November 2013.

It is proposed that other services currently run by the tourism departments at both councils will be absorbed by other departments or outside organisations and the online presence for tourism would be enhanced.

Matti Raudsepp, head of leisure and open spaces at the Christchurch and East Dorset Partnership, said: “This has not been an easy decision to make, but we are following the lead other councils from across the UK have taken to provide information for tourists in a different way.

“Most people now go online to find the information about an area when planning a visit and that has made the need for dedicated tourist information centres significantly less relevant than they once were.

“The Regent Centre will be maintaining an information service in Christchurch and we are still in discussions with regard to an information service being maintained in some way in Wimborne.

“However, it is clear that, given the ongoing reductions in funding from central government, councils must provide a tourism service that meets modern demands. We will be developing our online services and social media to provide information in a more relevant way for modern needs.”

Final decisions concerning proposals for the Information Centres will go before councillors in September.