Metlink to deliver our tourism info

Docklands is not getting its own face-to-face visitor services booth, with the City of Melbourne opting instead to use existing “customer service” provided by Metlink and Skybus at Southern Cross Station.

The council investigated a number of options, including a stand-alone visitor service at the station, similar to the popular booth in the Bourke St Mall.

In a report to councillors, Tourism Melbourne manager Jenny Ford said: “Whilst a stand-alone visitor service would enhance the visitor experience, customer service is currently provided at Southern Cross Station by Metlink and Skybus.”

“Optimising these existing services via strategic partnerships is recommended.”

“Metlink and SkyBus already provide visitor-related, face-to-face services at Southern Cross Station. It makes sense, therefore, that rather than moving to establish a stand-alone operation, instead the City of Melbourne first explore options for working with these companies and SCS management to deliver the next iteration of face-to-face visitor information service within the station precinct.”

Ms Ford said the council was interested in locating visitor information services at major visitor traffic “nodes” like Federation Square and the Bourke St Mall, rather than at “end points” like Carlton or Docklands.

“Our research also demonstrates the benefits the services deliver to the city’s precincts and attractions by encouraging greater numbers of visitors to travel to places like Queen Victoria Market and Docklands,” she said.

“Better integration between the evolving Docklands precinct and the city centre is needed. Important pedestrian and public transport links between Docklands and the CBD are located within the western gateway.”

Ms Ford said council-sponsored tourism information activities were clearly benefiting Docklands.

“The 2010 Melbourne City Tourist Shuttle (MCTS) research shows 25 per cent of surveyed passengers were influenced by our service to visit Harbour Town,” she said.

“Similarly, a comparison of the 2008 and 2009 visitor surveys commissioned by the branch shows an increase in the proportion and number of visitors services users who had visited or planned to visit Docklands – from 21 per cent (437,000 visitors) of all users surveyed in 2008 to 30 per cent (589,000) in 2009.”

The report to council also said:

Awareness of Docklands and MECC was high compared to South Wharf and North Wharf;

There were fairly low levels of visitation or planned visitation to nearby areas around Southern Cross Station; and

Some 45 per cent said they would be interested in visiting Docklands and South Wharf if information was available. 50 per cent said that information about nearby areas would have no impact on their interest in visiting these places.

Destination Docklands chairperson Kyle Johnston declined to comment on the decision.