Picton plots a course for revival

Despite the lack of cruise ships and the arrival of winter, Taylor and Daniel Hamilton are excited to open their ‘‘dream cafe’’ in Picton.

The couple from the Ka¯piti Coast, north of Wellington, came down three weeks ago to manage Toastie, a new waterfront cafe set to open soon in the former Sounds Air building.

The pair, in their early 20s, used to run a drive-through coffee outlet in Paraparaumu but fell in love with Picton.

Taylor said it was a scary time to open a new business, but if they could survive without international tourists it could only get better.

‘‘We have noticed there are always people coming and going, and it does seem like New Zealanders are still willing to travel their own country,’’ she said.

‘‘So if we make the most of the New Zealanders who are travelling, and get the support of the locals, by the time hopefully the borders open and the cruise ships are coming back we will be all ready to go.

‘‘Everyone is telling us when cruise ships used to be here you could never move around in the street, the town was packed, so just to think that it can be potentially like that is really exciting, and not just for a small business owner, also for the community.’’

Tour business Sounds Connection owner Maria Baxter said she was happy to see new places opening despite Covid19’s negative impacts.

‘‘Picton has got a lot of new businesses starting, there are about five businesses which have changed hands in the last months and there is a new waterfront cafe.

‘‘No doubt it has been tough, but it is like the phoenix rising from ashes.’’

Baxter said support from the domestic market was fabulous but not enough to fill the gap of international tourism.

Cruise ship passengers liked to be guided around the area, but Kiwis were much more likely to drive themselves.

Baxter said the whole town missed cruise ships, but Picton people were resilient.

‘‘It has been hard times, but things look positive for the future. We hope to see the first cruise ships after Christmas,’’ she said.

Baxter said there had been some renewed interest in her company’s tours, but there was still some uncertainty.

‘‘We have to see how the vaccination goes and how the borders work out.

‘‘We have to make sure that we can operate safely. It is a priority.

‘‘If the trans-tasman bubble is well-managed, it is going to be positive for further development in the tourism industry.’’

Cruise Association chief executive Kevin O’sullivan said Picton had become a very popular port for a variety of reasons.

‘‘The port itself is very welcoming and people are really nice towards cruises.

‘‘In the past, Port Marlborough has been really flexible with cruise ships, being a really positive and easy port to deal with.’’

O’sullivan said they would meet the minister of tourism next month to discuss the relaunch of the cruise industry.

A green light for cruise ships would be a collaborative approach, with a multitude of different ministries involved, he said.

Destination Marlborough general manager Jacqui Lloyd said there was a lot of interest from people still wanting to cruise to New Zealand.

‘‘There is no chance of any of the ships coming while the borders are closed, and the Government has not yet decided when they are going to lift that,’’ Lloyd said.

‘‘But certainly the cruise lines are ever hopeful and want to make sure they have the bookings in place just in case there is an option for the borders to reopen for maritime.’’

Royal Caribbean recently announced its 2022/23 local season, with 10 calls scheduled for Picton.