Information centres becoming a magnet for travellers

Travellers take advantage of a 'great service'

GREY nomads have made a major contribution to the success of outback Queensland visitor information centres.

New research shows that nearly 40 percent of all visitors, many of them grey nomads, use the centres for holiday information and advice.

According to the 2016/17 Queensland Information Centres Association data, 306,650 travellers called into an outback centre during the year.

Their coastal counterparts in the Whitsunday and Fraser Coast regions received 45,034 and 41,597 visitors respectively.

The data shows a 10 percent increase in the number of patrons in outback Queensland over the past year, and cements them as the third-most visited information centres in the state.

Caravanners Bob and Sue Barnes visit a Queensland information centre, telling Caravanning News: "They provide a very valuable service."

Outback Queensland Tourism Association general manager Peter Homan said it was "fantastic" to see travellers to the region taking advantage of the great services offered by the visitor information centres

"These volunteer-run facilities are an asset to outback Queensland and provide out-of-towners with an opportunity to gain insider knowledge about the place they’re visiting," he said.

There are 113 visitor information centres across Queensland, and a total of 2,962,132 guests used them this year.

Meanwhile, visitors are encouraged to call into outback Queensland visitor information centres to buy an Outback Mates loyalty card.

With over 250 participating businesses, the program offers discounts on accommodation, food, attractions, events and transport throughout the region. Life membership costs $20.

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Meanwhile, 33 regional visitor centres in WA will receive $4.2 million in State Government funding to improve operations.

The centres inject $117 million into the state's economy and generate more than 900 jobs.

Projects supported include a new fit-out and touch screen technology at the Bunbury Visitor Centre; a new website for the Derby Tourist Bureau; website development, IT upgrades and new signage at the Kalgoorlie Boulder Tourist Centre, and developing a business plan and training at the Geraldton Visitor Centre.

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