Mackenzie hot spots key links in New Zealand tourism chain

Rapid tourism growth in the Mt Cook Mackenzie region has resulted in better access to tourism information in two of the region’s iconic hot spots.

The Mackenzie Tourism & Development Trust announced today (6 August) that it will take on the management of visitor information sites in Lake Tekapo and Twizel in line with its regional tourism marketing strategy.

Twizel’s existing information centre, located next to the Events Centre, is already operating under the new management structure and its extensive renovations will be complete by early September.

A new official i-SITE will open in Lake Tekapo later this year, joining the nationwide network of visitor centres which offer impartial advice, information and bookings for activities, accommodation and transport. The i-SITE will be in a prime location next to the Godley Hotel on the main state highway which registers more than 1.4 million vehicle movements a year.

The two visitor centres will complement the existing Lake Pukaki information centre which the Mackenzie Tourism & Development Trust has been managing for the past year. All three centres will be run by the Trust on behalf of the Mackenzie District Council.

David Wilks, Executive Manager i-SITE New Zealand, says the decision to establish an i-SITE in Tekapo is a logical step for the region as its tourism offering grows.

"i-SITE centres become a beacon for visitors as they pass through the country. We know that as the volume of visitors to a region grows so too does the expectation for comprehensive and easily accessible information and consistently excellent service. That's exactly what i-SITEs deliver," he says.

Tourism NZ Chief Executive George Hickton inspected both sites during his recent visit to the region.

“These new information centres will be key links in providing consistent world-class information, particularly as we gear up to welcome an unprecedented number of visitors for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, ” said Mr Hickton.

The new Tekapo centre will be open 364 days a year and will extend its hours to cater for the increasing amount of visitors coming into the region.

All staff will undergo ATTTO tourism training[1] to provide international-standard service. Mr Brownie says the information centres are an important investment in the region’s future tourism growth.

“Our regional tourism marketing strategy is designed to ensure maximum economic and social benefit by increasing guest nights, length of stay and number of activities chosen as well as adding value to our visitors’ experiences,” he says.

“We’ve previously relied on local operators to provide the bulk of the region’s information service and it’s their valuable contributions which have helped put us on the map. The new information centres will help us take it to the next level.”

For more information about the Mackenzie region visit www.mtcooknz.com.

[1] ATTTO is the Aviation, Tourism and Travel Training Organisation. It is an industry training organisation whose job is to work with industry partners to develop national qualifications and coordinate workplace training for the Aviation, Travel, Tourism and Museum industries.