Ruapehu part of i-SITE and DOC visitor centre collaboration hui.

Ruapehu i-SITE Manager Kim Treen has attended a hui between the i-SITE Visitor Information Network and the Department of Conservation (DOC) to discuss how the visitor experience can be improved through a more cohesive service.

The Ruapehu i-SITE network was the first in NZ to trial putting an official i-SITE into a DOC Visitor Centre in Whakapapa Village at Mt Ruapehu.

The success of that trial has now seen four of these arrangements established with Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin joining Ruapehu in being able to offer visitors expert local advice as well book travel, accommodation and experiences for their i-SITE area and anywhere else around NZ.

Mrs Treen said that the focus of the hui was on enabling the co-located i-SITE and DOC visitor centres to work together better, highlighting opportunities through sales, training, and technology.

“Having the trained i-SITE staff and systems operating alongside DOC Visitor Centre staff significantly enhances the visitor experience for everyone’s benefit.

Feedback from Ruapehu tourism operators has been overwhelmingly positive to the i-SITEs and DOC working more closely together which they see as helping to improve the connections between tourism operators and visitors,” she said.

i-SITE Executive Manager, Paul Yeo said that the more we can integrate our services into one dual branded location with staff trained to handle any type of question, the better experience we can give our visitors and encourage them to see more and stay longer while in New Zealand.

Mr Yeo said he’d like to see even more i-SITE and DOC visitor centres co-locating in the future.

DOC Customer and Brand Manager, Sarah Wood added that the DOC/i-SITE hui was hugely beneficial.

“It allowed us to review the experiences of the current relationship between the co-located sites, and also identify opportunities to further enhancing the partnership, with a focus on the overall visitor experience,” she said.

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