Big thanks to Tassie visitors

WE own and operate a small four-apartments tourism business in Penguin, and when C OVID hit around March, the subsequent total closure had a devastating effect on us and our sector. The total shut down following NorthWest outbreak did further damage. Once Premier Gut we in commenced to open up, in June, business started to return.

July and August were promising, and now September and October are edging past last year’s figures. So, a big thanks to Tassie travellers, some exploring the North-West Coast, and Cradle for the very first time, amazing.

If you really want to help the tourism industry, please choose your accommodation options, and contact or book director on their website.

This almost always should give you a discounted price, but more importantly removes the big multi nationals who rake off between 12 percent and up to 25 per cent of booking amounts. Phone direct. Come visit.

Terry and Lib by Burton Penguin Waterfront Escape

TRAVEL, THEN REDEEM

TRAVEL vouchers area great way of getting the economy back on track, but since they are free, there is no way of guaranteeing the vouchers will be re deemed. A better incentive would have been togo on a trip in Tasmania and redeem costs. After all, how many of those with vouchers can actually afford the trip? As a single ,$150 for both accommodation and an experience would leave me short-changed. I am not surprised that the first voucher system sold out so quickly: anything for free without thinking about the total costs or ramifications.

Perhaps it would have been more appropriate prior to there issue of a second wave of vouchers, the results of the first might have been considered? And when all is said and done, the $12.5 million is taxpayers’ money.

Ann Frith Somerset

RANDOM VOUCHER PICK

I CERTAINLY hope that those who organise the second round of travel vouchers really think it through. People are irritated by the first in best dressed stupidity of the first allocation and most are really thankful for the assistance with their travel plans. The Mercury explained before the first allocation that people could register and then if successful they would receive a confirmation email. Instead travel vouchers were given out on registration and were soon exhausted.

What could be fairer than giving adequate time for everyone interested to register and then randomly selecting the winners. You get an email… and happy travelling. Tim Beaumont Battery Point

BASIC FERRY WINNER

TO support reader Randall Corney and the proposed ferry to Victoria (“Back-to-basics ferry ,” Letters, August 26), my wife and I are retired in Victoria and would very much like to come to Tassie with our children and grandchildren when the virus becomes more manage able. But it will be a deal-breaker if we have to pay up-market rates. I love the ferry trip and hope reality bites: a majority of prospective passengers will not be looking for five-star travel. We won’ t need the luxury Randall has outlined.

Peter Brett Eltham North, Victoria

MANAGE REOPENING

WOULD it not be better togo forward with new ideas instead of trying togo back to what was? Even if Tasmania has no active cases of C OVID -19, other states and countries have. With open borders, how many tourists would flood the place again. Could the number be high enough to bring the profits as before?

The Premier with the Health Department have prevented virus affected people filling hospitals and more people dying. Where is the trust and help needed for the government to find the best way to manage a travelling population again? Measurements, training and rule sought to be in place before opening borders, with people informed about it. In the meantime, anxiety and fear could be changed into an adventurous spirit to create a new life with new business opportunities out of the old and not giving in or up.

H. Stevenson Lauderdale