Tourism manager: iSITE is not to close this week

TOURISM Waitaki’s general manager has rubbished reports that the Palmerston iSITE will close this week, and says no decision has been made on the future of the organisation’s satellite office.

On Monday the Otago Daily

Times reported that it was likely the visitor information centre in Ronaldsay St would close tomorrow after an East Otago resident, who was not connected with the iSITE and did not wish to be named, said staff had been told by Tourism Waitaki general manager Margaret Munro to email any lastminute submissions for the retention of the iSITE by the end of last week.

However, Mrs Munro said speculation the iSITE would close tomorrow was false.

‘‘It’s not shutting. It’s not closing on Wednesday. No decision has been made and it’s business as usual.’’

She confirmed an operational review, that included consultation with staff, was under way, and did not rule out the possibility that the iSITE might be closed in the future.

‘‘It’s open to a whole lot of discussions yet and it’s a bit premature to be saying what would happen until we get all of the information in and consider it in an educated way, with all of the facts and all of the figures before we jump to conclusions like other people have been doing.’’

She said it was not known at this stage when the review would be completed or when any decision on the visitor centre’s future would be made.

‘‘We’ll have to discuss that with our board. We’ve just been consulting with our staff.’’

Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher supported the review, which was part of a wider review of the organisation’s financial position.

‘‘Obviously they’re looking at a reasonable deficit for the year that’s just finished and they want to do what they can to make sure their spending is effective and efficient and the review is part of that.’’

In March, Tourism Waitaki’s report for the first half 201718 financial year said the organisation was forced to reassess its likely yearend financial posi tion as a result of lowerthanexpected income from Oamaru tourism attraction Whitestone City.

The organisation had budgeted for a surplus of $143,637, but had now revised that to an approximate deficit of $120,000.

Mr Kircher said the outcome of the review would be based on how best to promote the district as a whole.

‘‘The feedback I’ve got has been they haven’t been rushed off their feet . . . we want to make sure our ratepayer dollars that go to Tourism Waitaki to provide these services are spent as effectively as possible.’’

Tourism Waitaki is a Waitaki District Councilcontrolled organisation.