It has been 20 years since Philip MacDonnell moved to the country and fulfilled his love of the outdoors by launching Bay and Beyond Sea Kayak Tours, but he has never seen business as bad as it is now.
"Some areas are [seeing tourists return], some are not," MacDonnell says. "For us, because we are not a "hashtag location", we often get completely missed," he says. "We are hoping for an uptick into Easter and the school holidays."Immediately after the bushfires it was estimated that the tourism industry could face a $1 billion hit, withEven far-flung regional tourism businesses that escaped the fires are grappling with the sharp downturn.
"Across the country had varying figures [of a tourism decline] but it didn't have to be a bushfire-affected state or even community to be impacted by the booking downturn. In Tassie, we had anecdotal evidence of bookings heading south as well," he tellsWithin weeks of the worst of the bushfires the federal government made plans to inject $76 million into tourism with a relief fund, including $20 million to be spend on marketing in Australia and $25 million globally.
The international campaign to bring tourists to Australia, which has been complicated by the outbreak of COVID-19, has started to show early signs of shifting the dial, Duniam says. "We all saw ... the footage being broadcast in America and Europe of Australia being on fire," he says, adding there had been a significant drop in international visitors.
JennieDuke I know the feeling, and I wasn't involved in the fires. Many Australians are struggling against the onset of despair.
JennieDuke Step one: Vote in councils and State governments that fulfil their prescribed burning obligations and allow you to protect your own property.
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Multiple crises take their toll on the north coast tourism industry | Sky News AustraliaDestination North Coast General Manager Michael Thurston says his local tourism industry has taken a significant hit from “the consolidation of all the crises we have faced over the last four months”.\n\nMr Thurston said those within Australia’s tourism sector are concerned the government won’t deliver the multi-million dollar package promised to communities hit by the bushfires, but will instead divert funds towards fighting the coronavirus outbreak.\n\n“We receive over 14 million visitors each year,” Mr Thurston told Sky News host Peter Gleeson.\n\nHowever the severity and length of crises experienced on the north coast has resulted in a “huge loss for businesses” and large impact on “visitation”.\n\n“As the media coverage and the fires moved south, the north coast has been a little bit forgotten” but we still need “help and support for our communities,” he said.\n\nImage: Getty\n Translation: NoScroMo is an economic incompetent!
Source: SkyNewsAust - 🏆 7. / 78 Read more »
Source: SkyNewsAust - 🏆 7. / 78 Read more »