Southern firms want travel rules eased
A major player in Southland’s tourism industry is calling for inter-regional tourism to be allowed under alert level 2, and warns it may have to close its doors permanently otherwise.
The prime minister will announce on Monday when the country will move into level 2.
While businesses and public facilities will be allowed to open with a 1-metre social distance maintained and public health measures in place, people are still advised to avoid non-essential inter-regional travel and are encouraged to stay local.
But Southland tourism operators have joined the chorus of businesses and industry professionals asking for rules around regional tourism to be relaxed.
Bill Richardson Transport World in Invercargill has already made 12 staff members redundant because of the pandemic.
Transport World tourism and marketing manager Hannah Whyte said the impact of Covid-19 on the tourism industry was ‘‘catastrophic’’ and the company’s attractions could close permanently unless regional travel began soon.
‘‘The hard truth is that if we can’t open our doors again and get a viable number of guests coming soon, we may not be able to keep Transport World’s attractions and accommodation open,’’ Whyte said.
She was confident that Transport World’s attractions could operate safely at level 2, by minimising contact between guests and tracking their movements.
‘‘Our region’s population is just not big enough to support Southland’s tourism attractions on its own, which is why we need to encourage other Kiwis to explore our region too. Attractions like Transport World need the support of Kiwis and Southlanders to remain sustainable.’’
Great South chief executive Graham Budd said Southland’s visitor industry had been significantly impacted by the outbreak of Covid-19. He was deeply concerned that further delaying the lifting of travel restrictions would pose significant risks for the economic restart of the region.
‘‘We know our tourism industry is hurting. The reality is that if travel restrictions continue, many of our local businesses will no longer be viable,’’ he said.
Market research firm Opinion Compare released data from a survey taken in late April, showing that Queenstown and Milford Sound rated first and second among the domestic destinations New Zealanders would most like to visit.
Destination Fiordland tourism marketing manager Madeleine Peacock said that news was positive but the Fiordland community needed regional travel to start so trade could resume.
‘‘We have businesses sitting here, not floundering but essentially withering away because they can’t trade.’’
Some businesses were looking at how they could adapt to the new conditions, she said. ‘‘If it can be made safe, including travel, then let’s do it and try and help out our regional economy.’’
Clutha–Southland MP Hamish Walker has presented a petition signed by more than 4800 people to the Government, calling for flights to resume into Queenstown.
‘‘Queenstown, Southland and Central Otago are isolated and need some flight services to return to Queenstown to connect us to the rest of the country.’’
He said inter-regional travel needed to be allowed at level 2, which would allow the tourism industry to restart in the south.
‘‘People in the community are reliant on being able to travel to other parts of New Zealand for work, for medical appointments, visiting family. And with the upcoming ski season we need to support businesses in preparing, which requires domestic travel.’’
The Government is expected to announce today what alert level two will look like for New Zealanders.