The Bus and Coach Association is calling on the Government to do more to protect tourism businesses and the communities they support.
Acting chief executive Alex Voutratzis says the loss of jobs and the flow-on negative economic and social effects on communities will be seen without more financial support for the sector.
“We’ve just seen the Australian Federal Government announce a further $1.3 billion support package for tourism, our sector desperately needs a similar injection just to survive.
“Our tourism coach members are struggling, and a lot have either shut up shop or are on the brink of closure if they don’t get more certainty and support from the Government.
“Before lockdown, nearly 1.5 million tourists used one of our members to travel across the country. Our members are crucial to the tourism sector, acting as the glue between tourism sites and ventures, and other businesses like accommodation and hospitality.
“This isn’t about doom and gloom, it’s about reality. Without the Government coming to the table and supporting tourism businesses properly and communicating their plan for opening the borders transparently; businesses and communities are in limbo,” Voutratzis says.
“Despite the Government’s best intentions with its domestic tourism campaigns, it isn’t delivering the results the sector needs. New Zealander’s don’t travel or spend in the same ways as overseas tourists do. We have a $17 billion dollar shortfall where overseas tourists used to be. We can’t expect New Zealanders to fill this, it’s simply unrealistic too.
“We need the trans-Tasman bubble opened sooner rather than later. Or at the very least we need the Government to commit to a concrete timeframe for opening the borders.
“We run the risk of being left out to dry and isolated if the Government doesn’t get on and open the bubble with Australia.
“While I appreciate the Government’s cautious approach, it does run the risk of being too cautious and undermining the public support for the lockdown itself. Australia has shown, like New Zealand, a strong ability to act quickly and stamp out any outbreaks.
“Australian tourists are a $3 billion dollar tourism market to New Zealand. A $3 billion economic shot in the arm would help save a lot of businesses and jobs and alleviate some of the economic and social pressures building in our communities,” Voutratzis says.
“It’s really simple, no support or timeframes means more businesses closing. What will we pivot to if we don’t have a functioning tourism sector when the borders eventually open?”
