Tourism Waitaki's new satellite office in Palmerston will provide an opportunity to directly promote growth and development of the southeastern area of the Waitaki district, general manager Jason Gaskill says.
The office, branded ''Tourism Waitaki Palmerston'', was opened to the public yesterday and attracted a ''reasonably steady'' stream of visitors, a spokesperson said.
Between one and four staff members will be based at the Palmerston office each day.
''We are setting up a satellite Tourism Waitaki office from which Tourism Waitaki staff will work,'' Mr Gaskill said.
''We will provide full information services, some booking activities for visitors, and serve as a point of contact for the tourism businesses within the region.''
Previously, local business Ambience, where the new offices will be, provided information services on contract.
''It provide[s] an appropriate opportunity for Tourism Waitaki to directly interact with and become ... part of the business and tourism community in the Palmerston region, and play a role in its ... promotion, growth, and development,'' Mr Gaskill said.
''We are always looking for ways to strengthen district tourism infrastructure.''
Mr Gaskill did not say whether there would be any new staff appointments for the office.
He said the southeastern area of the Waitaki district was ''amazing'' and central to the Moeraki Boulders, the Shag Coast, and ''a host of other natural areas that provide unique experiences with penguins, seals, skinks, and other rare native wildlife''.
''Palmerston itself provides ... cool shops, cafes, and easy access to both Oamaru, Dunedin, and Central Otago via the Pig Root,'' he said.
''There is the gold mine at Macraes Flat, the historic pub and inn at Dunback, camping, hunting, cycling, and a number of cool walks - particularly the Puketapu walk.''
