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The Queenstown and Rotorua gondola and luge operations will reopen Saturday after weeks of being idle due to the coronavirus blockade.
Skyline Enterprises CEO Geoff McDonald said its Queenstown and Rotorua operations would open in reduced capacity after New Zealand moved to Level 2 Alert.
“It will be a very restricted offer and we will do it with small teams, a list of personnel much smaller than we would have historically had.”
Kavinda Herath / Things
Skyline Enterprises CEO Geoff McDonald says his gondola and luge operations in Queenstown and Rotorua will reopen at Alert Level 2.
The Queenstown operation typically takes more than 100,000 people a month to the top of Bob’s Peak to enjoy a 220 degree panorama of Coronet Peak, The Remarkables, Walter and Cecil, and Queenstown.
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After the weekend, Skyline would judge the additional opening hours based on the lawsuit, McDonald said.
“We will carry out a reduced operation for a few months, but we are eager to go out and fly the flag and show that tourism in New Zealand is beginning to return.”
The company expected to see an increase in interest initially, then it would calm down, he said.
“In Queenstown, [demand] It will be quite modest … when trans-Tasman flights return, that will be key. “
Skyline Enterprises announced last week that it would lay off some 600 employees in all of its operations, including its startups in Queenstown and Rotorua, and the Christchurch Casino.
Kavinda Herath / Things
Skyline Enterprises is cutting 600 jobs at its New Zealand companies, despite being able to reopen at Level 2 Alert.
Meanwhile, Destination Queenstown CEO Ann Lockhart said the operators were excited to return to business at level 2.
“It will provide some relief to businesses in Queenstown after many weeks of uncertainty,” he said.
“Tour operators will now see how the rules apply to them, how they can safely operate under Level 2 alert and make any adaptations to do so. While this is not a total panacea, it is a good step in the direction correct. ” “
The return of commercial air services to Queenstown would also go a long way towards recovering the Queenstown community, he said.
Kavinda Herath / Things
The Queenstown business community is eagerly waiting for trans-Tasman flights to resume at the local airport.
Destination Queenstown launched a local marketing campaign, called #WeAreQueenstown, two weeks ago and is working on a campaign targeting the home market, to launch on June 1.
“The campaign will be a celebration of getting back outdoors, exploring, discovering, and spending time with friends, some of Kiwi’s true favorites.”
New Zealanders have always played a major role in the Queenstown tourism industry, historically accounting for a third of all visitors, Lockhart said.
“In two recent surveys in New Zealand, Queenstown has ranked the first destination choice that kiwis plan to visit once travel restrictions are lifted.”
