\nCity of Newcastle will take possession of the former railway station following the NSW Government\u2019s project to open and beautify the area between Hunter Street and Newcastle Museum.
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![\"Civic-interior-1-web.jpg\"](\"http:\/\/www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au\/getattachment\/Council\/News\/Latest-News\/New-Civic-home-for-Visitor-Information-Centre\/Civic-interior-1-web.jpg.aspx\" "\\"Artist's")
\nThe building will then be remodelled into a fit-for-purpose Visitor Information Centre, where tourists can access the latest information from expert staff, as well as tourist maps, brochures, event details and souvenirs.
\nLord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes said a modern fit-out and innovative technologies will create a dynamic, contemporary destination for visitors in the heart of the city.
\n\u201cTourism is a vital part of the Hunter region, contributing more than $900 million annually to the local economy,\u201d the Lord Mayor said.
\n\u201cThe new Visitor Information Centre will provide a purpose-designed space to enhance the city\u2019s tourism experience and ensure visitors discover the best of what the wider Newcastle region has to offer.
\n\u201cThe Centre\u2019s design will maintain the rail heritage and character\u200b of the site while being reimagined with a focus on customer experience and smart technologies, complementing the old with the new to reflect a contemporary Newcastle.
\n\u201cThe Visitor Information Centre is ideally located to offer a direct link to the light rail, close connections to the harbour and Civic Park and easy access for guests staying in city centre accommodation including Newcastle\u2019s first five-star hotel The Kingsley,\u201d she said.
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![\"Civic-interior-2-web.jpg\"](\"http:\/\/www.newcastle.nsw.gov.au\/getattachment\/Council\/News\/Latest-News\/New-Civic-home-for-Visitor-Information-Centre\/Civic-interior-2-web.jpg.aspx\" "\\"Artist's")
\nThe new Centre is just one initiative under the City\u2019s commitment to growing the visitor economy. City of Newcastle has created a dedicated tourism team responsible for management of the \u2018Newcastle\u2019 brand, with staff specialising in destination marketing and attracting business events.
\nThe Centre is set to open early next year and will replace The Newcastle Shop at Newcastle Museum, which was trialled as a pop-up retail and information space in November 2017 and became an accredited Visitor Information Centre in September last year, attracting an average of 6,500 visits each month.
\nThe vacated space at the Museum will be repurposed as a permanent education and programming room.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"