Sting in visitor curbs

Melburnians stay home

STRUGGLING businesses across Geelong are facing another crushing blow, with Melbourne visitation now off limits to the region for at least the next six weeks.

While Geelong avoided lockdown, the region will still feel the effects of the state’s new restrictions as many operators rely on Melbourne visitors to stay afloat, say business and tourism bodies.

Local accommodation providers such as the Lon Retreat & Spa in Point Lonsdale have been fielding cancellation calls from Melburnians since Tuesday’s announcement.

The luxury resort had just reopened last week after deciding to hold off a return after Victoria’s easing of coronavirus restrictions in late May.

Owner Claire Gemes said due to the Melbourne lockdowns, it is facing 150 cancellations, forcing her to close the hotel side of the business again from Sunday until August 20.

“We were at 96 per cent occupancy for July and August, with 92 per cent of those bookings from metropolitan Melbourne,” Ms Gemes said.

“It was looking to be the busiest we’ve ever been, even busier than summer.

“We put all the groundwork in for those bookings, we invested in staff, food and supplies to reopen, and some of that just can’t be recouped.

“That’s difficult and disappointing for us — it’s a big financial and mental hit.”

Premier Daniel Andrews recently announced that Melbourne residents will be in lockdown for at least six weeks and are banned from travelling for non-essential reasons.

Any holiday-makers already in regional Victoria can, however, finish their holiday.

Tourism Greater Geelong and The Bellarine executive director Brett Ince said the new measure will prevent large numbers of potential customers from visiting.

“We expect that this will certainly have a negative impact on business in the region that rely on the Melbourne market for their visitation,” he said.

But Mr Ince said it was some relief that the restrictions have been confined primarily to Melbourne and that regional Victorians can still visit the area.

“We’ll still be able to welcome regional Victorians, who make up around 30 per cent of our usual domestic overnight market, if they feel well and it is safe to do so,” he said.

Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism chairman Wayne Kayler-Thomson said the ban will put further pressure on businesses.

“It’s very disappointing because we’ve just seen a pick up in trade for some businesses, but now that has been shut down back to where we were not that long ago,” he said.

“There was an uplift during school holidays, but we knew when that finished it would return to a difficult period — now that’s all been brought forward.”

Mr Kayler-Thomson said the tourism body is in discussions with the state government to provide additional assistance and extend JobKeeper to support the industry.