NOMA signs tourism centre branding deal

The Co-operative Group's NOMA development will sponsor the council's visitor information centre in Piccadilly Gardens for the next three years.

Marketing Manchester, the public sector communications arm, signed an undisclosed deal with the Co-op to help promote the 20-acre development to visitors to the city.

Marketing Manchester said it will work with NOMA to highlight the tourism offering of the £800m development.

Andrew Stokes, chief executive of Marketing Manchester, said: "The Manchester Visitor Information Centre is the public face of tourism in the city and welcomes over 300,000 visitors a year. For businesses looking to raise their profile in the sector, there is no greater platform.

"Tourism generates £6.6bn a year for the Greater Manchester economy and it is important that all assets are maximised. The city has a great track record in promoting new additions to its core, and the potential surrounding NOMA cannot be overestimated."

David Pringle, director of NOMA, said: "Raising awareness of NOMA is a key priority for us, and whilst locally knowledge of the development is strong, we would like to work with Marketing Manchester to raise NOMA's profile with visitors to the city. Tourism will become increasingly important for NOMA as the neighbourhood evolves over the years ahead. The MVIC was a natural choice for us and we look forward to working with Andrew and his team across multiple projects in the coming three years."

In 2010, the Manchester Visitor Information Centre relocated from St Peter's Square to Piccadilly Gardens following an £800,000 investment by Manchester City Council and the North West Development Agency.

It was the first Visitor Information Centre in Europe to use Microsoft Surface Tables in the delivery of visitor information and in 2012 was named the best Visitor Information Centre in the country at the VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.

NOMA is the £800m scheme to redevelop 20 acres of the northern side of Manchester city centre. The 10-year programme will create a truly mixed use district, incorporating office space, residential, retail and leisure facilities.