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Scott Hammond / Stuff
The operator that owns House of Travel, Trudy Geddes, is preparing packages and offers for the opening of the Trans-Tasmnan bubble.
Marlborough travel agents are bracing for the opening of the trans-Tasmanian bubble after enduring the industry’s “toughest year”.
Blenheim House of Travel owner and operator Trudy Geddes can’t wait for the quarantine-free bubble between New Zealand and Australia, which the government agreed would be established in the first quarter of next year, to open.
“This is very exciting news. It has been the hardest year in 33 years that I have been in the industry. We spent the last 10 months fighting for refunds, processing cancellations and working to help people get back home, ”Geddes said.
With trips closed during the pandemic, the agency reduced its workforce from seven employees to three, plus one part-time. But now he’s planning a booking surge.
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“Australia is a big core part of the business because it’s a year-long destination and it’s easy to get to,” Geddes said. “When the pothole hits we have to be prepared, but we don’t know when or how it will affect the industry.
“Airlines, travel companies and tour operators – they all want to stimulate the market. The competition will return. Packages and offers are ready to load as soon as the bubble opens. “
Geddes said there were some false starts with the Cook Islands bubble, but now it looked positive.
“We expect trips to the Cook Islands to be announced in early January. It’s a small island, it’s going to be particularly crowded, and hopefully eventually Fiji and other islands will open up for the winter. “
At Flight Center, agents had already been accepting flexible bookings, allowing customers to change or cancel their plans “seamlessly,” a spokesperson said.
“Customers have been in our stores every day asking about travel to Australia and the Cook Islands, so both destinations will certainly be popular when isolation restrictions are lifted.”
Destination Marlborough CEO Jacqui Lloyd is watching the situation more cautiously.
“We are not too excited about when it could happen, but we certainly have plans for when it does, as Australia is a key market for New Zealand and Marlborough.”
The organization worked with Tourism New Zealand, Air New Zealand and the airports to ensure there was marketing in Australia about New Zealand border openings.
Lloyd said that since the closure, the group had been hosting virtual webinars and training Australian agents “showing them how amazing Marlborough is and why they need to make sure they keep Marlborough on their schedules for their clients.”
SCOTT HAMMOND / THINGS
Destination Marlborough General Manager Jacqui Lloyd works with Australian agents to ensure Marlborough remains a premier travel destination for Australians.
“In the meantime, we and all operators continue to market national visitors to ensure they pass through the summer season, which is our key travel period. So we make sure to stay as busy as we can from January through March and beyond. “
The trans-Tasmania bubble will initially apply to air travel and not to cruise ships. When 44 cruise ships visited Picton in the 2018/19 season, its 130,000 passengers and crew injected around $ 24 million into Marlborough’s economy.
BRYA INGRAM / Marlborough Express
Cruises do not know when the New Zealand ban will be lifted, but operators expect the legislation to be relaxed next year.
But a cruise ban expiring this week in Australia has been delayed for three months and there is no set end in New Zealand.
New Zealand Cruise Association Executive Director Kevin O’Sullivan said it was a dire situation for the industry.
“We were pushing hard for cruises to be included in the trans-Tasman bubble, but it doesn’t seem to be happening.
“From my perspective, I don’t see why there can’t be relaxations because there’s a high degree of security protocol developed for cruise ships, and now they would be a really safe environment.
O’Sullivan said there will be some loosening up for the latter part of the season, in April next year, but the biggest change will likely come for the 2021-2022 season.
