One of Wyndham’s two visitor information centres has been granted a last-minute reprieve after councillors postponed until next month consideration of a report recommending its closure.
Last Monday night, councillors voted to delay deliberation of the report, which encourages them to vote to close the visitor information desk at the Wyndham Cultural Centre in Watton Street.
The Watton Street centre opened in 2001 but, according to the council’s report, patronage at visitor information centres across the state is steadily declining by about 3 per cent a year.
“The decline in walk-in visitation correlates strongly with the use of the internet and, importantly, the use of smart phones,” the report states.
A study commissioned by the council found 70 per cent of people on day trips to the area travelled only to the Werribee Park precinct, and that with the Watton Street centre’s low walk-in numbers, a visitor information centre located within the precinct offered the greatest economic benefit to Wyndham.
Three years later, a satellite visitor information centre was established at Werribee Open Range Zoo and, according to the council’s report, its visitor numbers “immediately exceeded” those at Watton Street.
A survey conducted by the council in November last year revealed 64 per cent of visitors to the Watton Street centre were Wyndham residents, with 54 per cent of inquiries non-tourism related.
The annual cost to continue both centres was estimated at $175,000, while operating only the zoo centre would cost $105,000.
A decision on the future of the Watton Street centre is expected to be made at the council’s next meeting, on May 25.
