By Jeremy Sollars
The Warwick Visitor Information Centre is not due to undergo an on-site accreditation inspection by Tourism and Events Queensland (TEQ) until September next year but the contractor who performs the inspections says the centre meets current state tourism standards.
TEQ is the State Government statutory body which oversees tourism marketing and development in Queensland, with one of its functions being to monitor the performance of Visitor Information Centres across the state and issue accreditation.
Fully-accredited visitor centres are entitled to display the blue and yellow logo familiar to travellers, and must meet certain criteria involving opening hours and access to car parking.
Wayne Clift, who is a private contractor and tourism consultant engaged by TEQ to perform accreditation inspections of Visitor Information Centres across Queensland said the Warwick ‘VIC’ undergoes an on-site inspection every two years, with a “desktop” accreditation review conducted in the intervening 12 month period.
The re-location of the Warwick VIC earlier this year from the Warwick Art Gallery to the Town Hall has been seen by many local tourism operators as a retrograde step, with one even describing its ground floor digs in the Town Hall as “the tourism cupboard”.
Critics have also labelled poor access to car parking for visitors as another issue, along with reduced volunteer numbers and opening hours.
But Mr Clift told the Free Times this week the Warwick VIC meets current standards for State accreditation, including meeting the minimum opening hours requirement of 42 hours in every seven-day period.
This is despite the VIC only being open between 10am and 1pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
“Obviously, it would be ideal to have visitor centres open from 9am to 5pm every day of the week, but in some locations this is not possible or practical,” Mr Clift said.
“I am aware there has been some disruption to the operation of the Warwick visitor centre with the re-location and of course that’s always a disadvantage.
“But it does meet the current standards for accreditation and our job is to assist visitor centres to be the best they can be.”
Mr Clift said the basic requirement for access to Visitor Information Centres is that they be located within five minutes walking distance of the nearest public car parking, which the Warwick VIC satisfies.
He said he had last conducted an on-site inspection of the Warwick VIC in September last year, prior to its move to the Town Hall.
But he said the Southern Downs Regional Council had submitted the information necessary to ensure the transition of the VIC’s accreditation when the move was completed.
“There will be a desktop accreditation carried out in September this year, and an on-site inspection in September 2018,” Mr Clift said.
“But if I do happen to be in the Warwick area between now and then of course I will pay the centre a visit in person.”
The Warwick VIC is a member of the Queensland Information Centres Association (QICA), which is the peak tourism industry body representing the interests of visitor centres around the state.
The Stanthorpe Visitor Information Centre is not currently a member of QICA but is accredited by Tourism and Events Queensland.
The council is currently seeking tenders for the operation of an espresso bar in the Stanthorpe VIC.
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