LUDGERSHALL is hoping to put itself on the tourist map by joining and supporting a newly established organisation designed to promote Wiltshire to tourists.

While Wiltshire tourist honeypots such as Stonehenge, Longleat, Lacock and Avebury have international reputations and attract hundreds of thousands of visitors a year, many attractions have been overlooked in the past – in particular Ludgershall, which has been missing from many tourism maps despite possessing a medieval castle.

That is set to change as Ludgershall Town Council has opted to join Visit Wiltshire, the officially backed tourist body, and act with other towns in the county to capture tourists.

Visit Wiltshire’s partnership manager Andrew Gostelow said: “There is not a massive tourism opportunity but you do have an English Heritage site and there is potential to promote walking and cycling.”

The marketing involves a mix of approaches, from traditional printed brochures to Internet, social media and London Underground advertising.

The cost to Ludgershall of joining is £400 per annum.

Councillor Chris Williams said: “This is a small price to pay if we can put Ludgershall on the map.”

As well as the castle, Ludgershall also has a grade I listed 13th century church and a military rail depot of potential interest and is situated within a stone’s throw of the North Wessex Downs.