Tough year looms for tourist trade

The summer is well and truly over — hastened by last week’s lockdown — and tourism operators are now staring down the barrel of a dire mid-year already forecast by industry experts. While many operators quietly welcomed the early break caused by last week’s shutdown, which neatly fell at the end of school holidays, the lockdown itself and ongoing uncertainty around WA’s borders have scared off many Perth holidaymakers. Late last year, the Times reported a Margaret River-Busselton Tourism Association warning that the end of JobKeeper next month and a lack of interstate and traditional South-East Asian visitors meant winter this year looked tough. Local operators saw a rash of cancellations from the Perth market this week, despite the summer renewing their love affair with the Capes region. “I suspect 2021 will be even worse than last year for anyone who relies on interstate and international business,” Margaret River Discovery Company operator Sean Blocksidge said. “Who wants to risk interstate travel when you could get locked down as soon as you arrive into WA? “Traditionally, February, March and April are three of the best months for high-yield travellers from the east coast and international, and those markets have completely evaporated.” Mr Blocksidge supported the lockdown, but said industry experts predicted the initial influx of Perth tourists, and also that real problems would manifest in 2021. “I’ve been amazed at the local support for my style of tour experience, but I suspect more businesses will fold in coming months as JobKeeper finishes and inbound tourism flounders,” he said. “Such a bummer for anyone that was just starting to get back on their feet.” Other traders told the Times they backed the lockdown too, but it also hastened the potential mid-year slump. Registered Accommodation Providers Margaret River Region spokeswoman Debbie Noonan said the lockdown came as the rush ended. “If a lockdown was going to happen ... it was probably an OK week for it to happen — if there ever is an OK time,” she said. MRBTA co-chief executive Sharna Kearney said the outlook for winter remained very poor. While the region was packed during summer, a survey of members showed Perth visitors didn’t deliver the same financial boost. “While the region appeared ‘busy’ in terms of visitor numbers, this did not translate into spend for all businesses,” she said. “Certainly, some operators experienced a better-than-usual summer season, but many were still down.” The survey showed almost half of MRBTA’s member saw fewer guests and less income than in the same quarter in 2019. Tours and attractions took the worst hit, Ms Kearney said, and worker shortages continued to hinder recovery.