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A recent upswing in interest from overseas visitors has some tourism businesses near Abel Tasman National Park daring to hope for the return of a long summer season.
But some operators remain anxious about staff shortages and the continued ‘Brilliant, but very short-lived’: How summer shaped up for South Island tourism hot spots
* Tourist exodus leaves operators hoping for second wave
* Aucklanders a welcome boost to Nelson’s tourism sector
“>closure of parts of the Abel Tasman coastal walking track since August’s heavy rain.
LAWRENCE SMITH/Stuff
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Over the last month, about three or four lots of international tourists a day visited the i-site at Motueka, compared to one or two in August after Covid-19 order restrictions were fully lifted, its general manager Chrizelle Zuick said.
At the Moteuka Top 10 Holiday Park, about 70% of accommodation was booked at the start of the October school holidays.
READ MORE:
* ‘Brilliant, but very short-lived’: How summer shaped up for South Island tourism hot spots
* Tourist exodus leaves operators hoping for second wave
* Aucklanders a welcome boost to Nelson’s tourism sector
Park owner Ashlee Ilton said pre-Covid, the park would have seen international vans arriving by now.
But international tourists had starting booking for summer, giving rise to hope that overseas visitors would once again extend the season once domestic visitors went back to school and work, she said.
“Our numbers are showing that we will have a great summer.
“We’re really excited … our region needs it.”
The last 12 months had been the hardest for businesses in the town since the pandemic began two and a half years ago, tourism operators said.
The spread of Covid-19 in the community was followed by a wet winter, topped off with an atmospheric river of rain that damaged roads and parts of the Abel Tasman National Park.
Owner of Avalon Manor Motels in Motueka Rob Guild said support from corporate clients had helped “keep the wolves from the door”.
Bookings over the next few months were now looking similar to pre-pandemic levels – perhaps partially due to a local motel in the town being sold, he said.
Rebecca Guy general manager of Toad Hall store and cafe, said customer numbers were not quite at pre-Covid levels, but had picked up “massively” on the same time last year – with more out-of-towners and a few people from overseas coming in over the past month.
Being well-supported by locals over the last year, the largest problem for the business had been finding staff, she said.
Many people they usually employed over summer were overseas travellers like backpackers, she said.
Manager of the Waterfront restaurant at Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve, Shia Burton, was worried backpackers would wait for airfares to get closer in price to pre-pandemic levels, before heading to New Zealand.
But they had had interest from overseas people who had already got visas, and returning university students were available, she said.
In Marahau, owner of R & R Kayaks, Rohan Haskell said the company survived operating at 15% last year, partly by having laid off staff or not re-hiring.
While many of those people had gone off to do other things, the business was lucky a couple had come back, now that the company was now seeing more email traffic and summer bookings from overseas.
But it was still an uncertain time, Haskell said.
“We don’t know how busy it’s going to be.
“It’s quite challenging to keep staff around while it’s quiet.”
Continued closures of parts of the Abel Tasman coastal walk meant two of the business’s four most popular trips (which include walking, kayaking and water taxis) were unable to operate.
People had postponed their trips, and accommodation providers had seen cancellations, Haskell said
It felt like the Department of Conservation “hadn’t quite thrown everything” at repairing the track, he said.
Owner of Abel Tasman Kayaks Jack Kelly expected a slow lead in to the season, but hoped it would be sustained through to the end of March.
Like most local kayak operators, the operation was down 85 to 90% last year, but STAPP funding kept the business afloat, he said.
“Bookings are up.
“We’re not back to anything like pre-Covid, but we’re certainly back to a level where you can take a sigh of relief.”
The company was considering capping the number of tours it offered, to prevent over-hiring staff, he said.
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