COVID-19: Regional lockdown impacts to reach far and wide amid mass tourist exodus

Regional accommodation providers are experiencing a mass exodus today, with tourism business leaders warning of wider problems down the track.

John and Dorothy Popplewell have quickly packed up their caravan to get home back to Adelaide, after spending three nights at Clare. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

Regional accommodation operators experienced a mass exodus on Wednesday, with phones also running off the hook as they dealt with cancellations.

Many guests were forced to hit the road in a bid to return home by midnight, others with nowhere else to go stayed at caravan parks – while some exploring for the day were simply uncontactable amid the chaos with no phone service.

Kangaroo Island Tourism Food Wine and Beverage Association chairman Pierre Gregor said after a year marred by bushfires and COVID-19 travel restrictions, the lockdown would spell serious consequences for businesses.

“My concern now is not so much the financial impact but the psychological impact and wellbeing of the businesses that have done it tough,” he said. “It’s been nearly a year of disrupted activity, significantly disrupted income and social and mental impact.”

Mr Gregor said alongside Wednesday’s traveller exodus, the lockdown was likely to affect longer term bookings.

Flinders Ranges Tourism Operators’ Association chairwoman Michelle Reynolds – also the owner of Skytrek Willow Springs – said her business would lose more than $1500 a day in accommodation bookings alone.

About 25-30 people were staying at the property, down from the 100 that were expected, due to storm damage to buildings.

The business spent Wednesday afternoon helping guests make arrangements to leave or hunker down.

“We’ve just spoken to a client who was due to arrive tomorrow and they’ve made the decision to hightail it to NSW – they reckon they’ll get across the border just before midnight,” Ms Reynolds said.

The lockdown came as the Flinders was experiencing a longer tourist season than usual, due to more people travelling while they could, and milder weather.

Discovery Parks chief executive Grant Wilckens on the golf course at McCracken Country Club in Victor Harbor. Picture: Tom Huntley

Mount Compass Caravan Park owner Lyndon Hobson said cabin bookings had been cancelled but some people would stay as they were “between house builds” and had nowhere else to go.

“Things are getting busy again – I had a lot more bookings for Christmas than we had last year, so it’s unfortunate,” he said.

“If it’s only a week it's not going to affect us, but if it goes on like last time … last Easter it went from being fully booked to nothing.”

Discovery Parks chief executive Grant Wilckens estimated the lockdown would cost the network’s 41 parks in SA close to $1.5m in lost earnings.

“That’s a concern but it is what it is,” he said. Mr Wilckens said he was prepared to sacrifice the next six days’ trade in order to protect takings over Christmas and summer.

“I’m really hopeful that we nip it in the bud and provided the cases don’t explode, we get opened up quickly,” he said.

Among those finishing up holidays early yesterday were Dorothy and John Popplewell, who arrived back in Adelaide after three nights in Clare.

“We were the lucky ones who could pack up at a leisurely pace and come home. We met lots interstaters and my goodness, what are they going to do?” Mrs Popplewell said.

A SeaLink spokesman said four extra ferries – two in each direction – were added to Wednesday’s services to help get people on and off Kangaroo Island.

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