Operator cautious as Thames welcomes new information centre

The recently opened Thames Information Centre.

Thames has celebrated a milestone with the official opening of a new information centre, but its operator is cautious of a challenging market.

The facility is now open to the public at the Thames War Memorial Civic Centre.

It is operating under the umbrella of the neighbouring Thames Business Association after securing Thames-Coromandel District Council funding of $56,000 for the 2024-25 year.

The new office has also had a refit, funded by the Thames Community Board to the tune of $50,000.

Business association chief executive Sue Lewis-O’Halloran has been a driving force behind re-establishing a face-to-face information service after the i-site closed in 2021.

Since then, the town’s tourist information services have been accessible via an unmanned booth at Goldfields Mall.

Lewis-O’Halloran said the challenge now is for the new operation to make money.

The budget to run the facility in the first year was $175,000 and much of that had to be sourced via various platforms, she said.

“We are applying for grants; we are hoping to generate enough from bookings and merchandise sales.”

The information centre is on Mary St right next to the Intercity bus stop, which potentially offered an advantage.

Thames-Coromandel District Council funding for information centres across the district.

Lewis-O’Halloran said she had hired two co-managers who were supported by a team of eight volunteers, although it would ideally be staffed by up to 15 volunteers as the opening hours extended with the approach of summer.

It was her ambition to gain i-site status for the centre as that would come with “more privileges but more responsibility”.

At present the information centre is open five days a week, Tuesday to Saturday, between 9am and 3pm.

From December 1, the centre would open seven days a week between 9am and 4pm.

Thames-Coromandel Mayor Len Salt led the ribbon-cutting ceremony last week, joined by key contributors from the community at the centre last month.

“I know this has been a journey of co-operation. I look around the room now and see so many people who have contributed on multiple levels to make this happen,” he said at the ceremony.

He said the information centre represented a new chapter for Thames, shifting the town’s identity from a gateway to the Coromandel to a unique destination in its own right.

“With a rich heritage and cultural significance, Thames has much to offer visitors, and the centre highlights the town’s local history, cultural heritage, and numerous tourism opportunities.”

Whangamatā Information Centre has faced financial challenges in recent months, with community board discussions about additional funding.

Board member and Deputy Mayor Terry Walker said he would continue lobbying the council for further funding for the information centre.

In July the Whangamatā Community Board voted to approve an expression of interest from Whangamatā Information Centre Incorporated Society to operate the centre on Port Rd.

Information centres are run on a combination of council funding (through meeting the service level agreement criteria) and in some cases retail sales, booking commissions, memberships and marketing materials, with providers paying to be promoted at the facilities.