i-SITE to close for mini-makeover

DECKED OUT: The Oh kune i-SITE's scoria wall will be taken out and replaced with digital signage.

The Ohakune i-SITE visitor information centre will close for two days next month to replace the scoria wall with electronics.

The i-SITE will be closed on May 23 and 24 to take out the scoria feature wall behind the counter and install a high-definition digital video and signage display.

Ruapehu i-SITE manager Kim Treen said "while the scoria wall looked good, it was quite impractical and took up desperately needed space that could be better utilised".

"The i-SITE has never been busier and we need the area occupied by the scoria wall for better display space and other more practical and flexible uses," she said.

For the two days the information centre is closed, visitors can get help from council's service centre on Ayr St.

"The i-SITE phones will continue to be answered as per usual with the only thing not available being such things as souvenir sales," she said.

"The tourism boom meant demands on the i-SITEs were increasing all the time from both visitors and tourism operators," Ms Treen said.

"We are getting more and more people coming through the door with the March door count for Ohakune up 35 per cent compared to last year and revenue up 67 per cent."

She said the information centre was also representing greater numbers of Ruapehu tourism operators.