Numbers needed to get trips moving
Whanganui Summer Programme organisers are hoping for a surge in bookings with the pending move to the orange setting and warn that they are having to consider the prospect of cancelling some trips because of low numbers.
Trustee David Scoullar says he can understand Covid hesitancy but adds, “It will be a great shame if these trips don’t happen, particularly as many other Whanganui events won’t take place this summer. We believe our programme offers a bit of normality and chance for people to get out into the region and we are committed to keeping all trips going, if at all possible.”
Dave says bookings for nearly all trips are down and some are only in single figures. He said trips have been costed at a minimum of 30 people and many are well below this. Any trip below this loses money.
“The trust wishes to keep faith with the programme’s loyal supporters and is prepared to run trips below the 30 threshold but we can’t afford to do so with only a handful of people.
However, we remain hopeful that renewed community confidence with going orange will lead to a spike in bookings.”
Covid has already impacted on the 2022 programme with two trips cancelled.
KiwiRail has pulled the plug on the Raurimu spiral train trip and Quaker Acres has withdrawn.
The 2022 programme begins on January 5 and runs throughout the month. Vaccine passes are required to join trips. Book at the i-SITE or online.