Businesses welcome mainland tourists
THIRTY-FOUR flights from mainland capital cities are set to arrive in the state next week, bringing with them waves of passengers as Tasmanian industry leaders and tourism operators remain cautiously optimistic about the benefits of reopening the borders.
In a move aimed at resparking the state’s battered economy, Tasmania will ease border restrictions for people travelling from Queensland, the ACT, South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory from Monday based on current public health advice.
The state government has said the reopening of borders to NSW would likely happen thefollowingweek.
Border restrictions will also remain in place for people travelling from Victoria until further notice.
While Tasmania has remained COVID-free since its last case was recorded in August, the state government has reminded Tasmanians that five essential rules should be followed to keep the community safe: social distancing, hand hygiene, staying home when feeling unwell, getting tested for COVID if flu-like symptoms arrive and keeping on top of crowd numbers.
But questions have been asked of the government about why certain restrictions are still in place given how far the state has come in curbing COVID – a virus which has claimed the lives of 13 Tasmanians.
Earlier this month independent MP Madeleine Ogilvie asked Premier Peter Gutwein about why household gatherings were capped at 20 people as annual social events near, including Christmas and tonight’ sAFL Grand Final.
Small Business Council chief executive Robert Mallett slammed hospitality restrictions still in place, describing caps on restaurant seating as “a completely untenable situation in a jurisdiction with no community transmission for more than 130days”.
“Either provide support or dispose of the internal restrictions ,” Mr M all ett said.
“The support we need is to relax a significant number of the local restrictions, like workplace distancing and some of the COVID safety plan requirements, immediately to allow businesses to operate at capacity and make a solid attempt to make the best of a difficult situation.”
But the Premier has been steadfast on the measures in place, saying “our approach has been consistent from the start: cautious, responsible and sensible”.
And his approach has been met with support from opposition parties.
“The cautious opening of our borders is welcome – a necessity for Tasmanians to connect with much loved and missed family and friends,” Greens health spokeswoman and epidemiologist Rosalie Wood ruff said.
“Victoria and NSW have shown we need crack teams of contact tracers, and pop-up testing station capability, to roll out into regions immediately if a case is detected .”
Across the seven days from Monday, Tasmania will see 22 flights carrying interstate passengers land in Hobart and 12 flights into Launceston.
Each plane has a seating capacity of about 180 passengers.
Passenger numbers arriving in Tasmania on Monday were requested of major airline companies and the Spirit of Tasmania, but the Mercury was told that information could not be released.
Tourism Industry Council of Tasmania chief executive Luke Martin said reopening the state’ s borders would rein state confidence in the tourism industry.
“We need to go hard now with reinstating our air capacity and incentives to ensure we have as good a summer as we can ,” he said.
“We obviously need to ensure we are welcoming our visitors back safely and responsibly. There is a new way of delivering tourism in Tasmania and we need every operator to do their part .”
Business operators in the historic township of Richmond in the state’s south – a tourist hot spot – have reported a downturn in trade following the border closure, but some have said“the local support has been outstanding ”.
“From that point of view, we’ve been able to get through,” Sweets and Treats owner Susan Wurf said.
“Other Richmond businesses owners I have spoken with have reported feeling uncertain about what the reopening of borders will bring.
“We aren’t expecting a flood of tourists, but rather a slow trickle.”
Australian Medical Association president Helen M Ca rd le said it was important for the community not to be too scared by there opening of borders.
“We do have to open up at some point and by doing it in a gradual manner, hopefully it means we are able to detect cases if they come in,” she said.
“It’s essential we start to ease border controls. There’s a lot of other impacts beyond the virus such as mental health, family dislocation.
“The government’s plan to only open to safe states, then to monitor NSW with a view to open later and keeping borders closed to Victoria, I think is important because it gets the community comfortable with borders and feeling confident.”