Regional SA towns urge people to keep visiting, with relatively lower numbers of Covid cases

You’ve planned an SA getaway – but with Covid spreading across Adelaide, should you still go? Regional towns have a pretty simple message.

Regional community leaders have urged visitors to keep travelling, emphasising they are experiencing minimal disruption due to Covid-19 and have lower infection numbers relative to cases in Adelaide.

For many regions, strong summer trade is considered vital in boosting the bottom lines of businesses after another challenging year.

But Premier Steven Marshall says while people should go ahead with booked holidays, the state government is “less convinced” about spontaneous travel.

Richard Sage, Mayor of Grant Council, in the South-East, said he had a simple message for tourists: “If you feel safe, come on down here because we have a lot to offer.

“People are all doing the right thing and wearing their masks and hand sanitising.”

Port Lincoln Mayor Brad Flaherty said accommodation was almost fully booked.

“There’s been a couple of functions, such as Tunarama, that we have deferred so we didn’t wind up with a super-spreader situation,’’ he said.

“To be honest with you, it’s business as usual down around town. People seem to be a little bit on edge just waiting to see which direction everything is going to go.”

Mr Flaherty said visitors would be welcomed “with open arms”.

SA Health data shows larger regional centres have significant Covid-19 cases, including Mt Gambier (150), Port Augusta (66), Port Lincoln (65), Port Pirie (62) and Whyalla (44).

Robe is suffering, with 114 cases, and businesses are struggling to fill rosters.

However, many remote holiday spots are almost unaffected. They include Streaky Bay (8) and the Flinders Ranges (3).

Tourism Industry Council of South Australia chief executive Shaun de Bruyn said businesses were going to great lengths to ensure the safety of staff and customers.

“Tourism operators are really keen to keep getting visitors and to deliver fantastic visitor experiences right across the state at a really challenging time,” he said.

Yorke Peninsula Mayor Darren Braund said there were still plenty of tourists around.

But he called for patience as some businesses struggled with low staff numbers and density requirements.

The extraordinary Port MacDonnell coastline.

“We ask our visitors to continue to enjoy our region but respect and be patient with cafes and such who need to adhere to reduced seating restrictions,” Mr Braund said.

In Robe, council chief executive James Holyman said most businesses were open.

“Our (case) numbers are going up but not in leaps and bounds,” he said.

“Overall, the supermarkets are flat out. Most of the businesses, if they’ve been closed, they’ve been closed for a day.”

Cape Jaffa Wines owner Derek Hooper said closures because of staff shortages were usually very brief.

“Robe is still extremely busy,” he said. “We’ve been pretty lucky the way things have rolled.”

Mt Gambier Mayor Lynette Martin said the town always welcomed visitors, but called for people to take responsibility for wearing masks and observing good hand hygiene.

Mr Marshall said people who had bookings should still travel.

“We’re probably less convinced that people should be thinking spontaneously about upping now and moving around the state,” he said.

“We’ve really got to be mindful of trying to move around a lot less and coming into contact with far fewer people.”