Few Australians visiting Marlborough to travel
purpose of visiting their loved ones, he said.
Mcintyre said corporate travellers were helping him keep afloat and when Marlborough hosted events it also helped his business.
‘‘We are relying heavily on domestic tourists and business conferences,’’ Mcintyre said.
Despite the downturn in international travellers he had experienced a ‘‘really good summer’’ because New Zealanders were travelling.
CPR Airshop cafe worker Phoebe Barnef said since the opening of the bubble, it had seen several Australians coming through, however, all were visiting loved ones rather than travelling as tourists.
With the loss of visitors comes the loss of staff, and Statistics NZ data shows 7772 jobs have been lost in the accommodation and food service industries nationally.
Wairau River Wines chief executive Lindsay Parkinson said since Covid restrictions were lifted in May last year, they had noticed an increase in domestic tourism.
‘‘We have only had a small amount of Australians visiting since the opening of the bubble, but with ski season starting we expect to see more Australian tourists,’’ Parkinson said.
Watery Mouth Cafe owner Juliet Partington said she served one of the first Australians who was in Marlborough with the intention to travel, in her shop this week.
‘‘We are down 30 per cent since Covid, but I don’t think this is due to international tourism, there are also fewer reps on the road and fewer people working in the CBD of Blenheim,’’ she said.
Bella Vista Motel owner Julie Berriman said she had only had four Australians staying at her motel since the travel bubble opened. The Australians were all visiting to work the harvest season.
Covid caused her business to have more than $40,000 worth of cancellations.
However, she had experienced her best May in eight years.
Destination Marlborough general manager Jacqui Lloyd said 25,000 Australians had visited New Zealand since the bubble opened, with the majority of those trips to visit family and friends.
‘‘It’s not that Marlborough isn’t good enough.’’
Because Australians were still not travelling to New Zealand in large numbers it was focused on attracting travellers from Marlborough and New Zealand to experience the region.