In relation to the recent letter from the President of the Canberra Region Tourism Operators Association regarding the early closing on weekends in December 1999 of the Canberra Visitors Centre;

1. Why was it necessary to close the Centre early on weekends in December 1999.

2. Is a similar situation likely to arise in December 2000.

1. The CVC is open 364 days of the year and the early closing on weekends in December 1999 was an experiment to implement a more economical way of operating the CVC during periods where visitor numbers are traditionally low. The restriction of opening hours was a trial to ascertain possible containment of the high cost of penalty rates of pay for staffing the Centre to times when traditionally visitor numbers are low. The Centre closed early for the initial three weekends in December.

The trial of restricted hours only occurred from 4 to 19 December 1999. Normal opening resumed on 20 December 1999 and has continued since then and will continue throughout the year 2000 when increased visitation to the ACT is expected. The trial did provide evidence of savings to the Visitors Centre and did not appear to adversely affect services to visitors at that traditionally quiet time.

2. The trial will not be repeated again.