iSITE on track to self-sufficiency

Matakana Coast Tourism chair Warren Kitchin and tourism coordinator and iSITE manager Olivia Austin say their hard work has helped turn around the fate of the Warkworth iSITE.

By George DriverThe fortunes of the Warkworth iSITE are on the up as Matakana Coast Tourism (MCT) celebrates its first year at the helm of the visitor information centre.

The iSITE was one of the worst performers in the Auckland region with declining visitor rates and mounting losses. MCT took over management on April 1 last year, in a three-year $215,000 deal with Auckland Council organisation, ATEED.

Overall, the iSITE generated a gross annual income of $280,000. MCT received $95,000 and managed to return a $20,000 surplus, cutting ratepayer losses to $75,000. By contrast, earlier deficits at the visitor centre had run as high as $103,000.

Visitor numbers are also up on the previous year, with about 40,000 people visiting the iSITE, reversing the annual 14 per cent decline in visitor numbers experienced under Council management.

MCT chair Warren Kitchin says it has been a positive start and the centre is on track to be self-supporting by 2018, when the funding agreement ends.

“We’ve had a lot to learn and a lot of changes to make over the past year,” Mr Kitchin says. “We didn’t have a fulltime manager until September, so considering the challenges, things have gone really well. We are well placed to make the most of the next two years.”

This year it will receive $70,000 from ATEED, and $50,000 the following year.

“We are exactly where we want to be. To go through the establishment period and to have a lift in revenue is quite amazing. We want to be in a strong position next year so we aren’t cutting it fine to make the final step towards being self-sufficient.”

After the handover, the store got a revamp and has been restocked with local products showcasing the region, while the iSITE hours and staff numbers haven’t changed.

MCT tourism coordinator and iSITE manager Olivia Austin says they have been busy building a network with local businesses to increase income at the iSITE.

“A big part has been reconnecting with operators around the region and getting a better understanding of what the region has to offer so we can promote that to visitors,” Ms Austin says. “We’ve also been connecting with other iSITEs in New Zealand to help with broader promotion of the Matakana coast.”

Getting accommodation providers registered on an online database has also been a big step in helping the public find accommodation and generate income, she says.

“We have 20 providers registered now and we can look at any time and see how many beds are available and where.”

MCT is now focusing on building tourism in the quieter mid-week and off-season periods and getting more nationwide exposure for the area.

MCT is a tourism promotion organisation working for business groups from Puhoi to Pakiri.