Job losses possible

TOURISM Waitaki may be forced to lay off staff within three months amid uncertainty about the future of tourism in North Otago.

The Waitaki District Councilcontrolled organisation has been hit hard by the Covid19 crisis.

All Tourism Waitaki’s attractions, including the flagship Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony, remain closed due to the lack of overseas visitors and uncertainty about the domestic market.

Revenue has plummeted by 80% across the business, and left Tourism Waitaki general manager Margaret Munro looking for solutions.

Only once there was more clarity about the sector post Covid19 would Tourism Waitaki know what to expect. Until then, the ‘‘operational side of things’’ would be examined, including fixed costs, rent, leases and staff levels.

She did not rule out job losses. ‘‘Without doubt, all of those aspects will have to be looked at.

‘‘If things were to be delayed say, another three months, there is no doubt things are going to be affected to that level because you can’t sustain what’s not sustainable.’’

Not knowing when domestic visitors could visit Waitaki was the biggest challenge the organisation faced now.

‘‘At the minute we are in noman’s land as far as when people are allowed to start moving again in that domestic space. It’s very difficult to know when customers are going to be returning . . . we know it’s probably going to be one or two years until we get international numbers flowing again.’’

Tourism Waitaki is already under financial pressure. It posted a deficit of $41,674 in the six months to December and is forecast to record a loss of $96,947 for the 201920 financial year.