New Zealanders urged to work and play in Australia, as travel bubbles with Asia considered in state leader meeting

New travel bubbles between Australia and Asia will be considered on Friday as New Zealanders are urged to work and play in our regions.

New Zealanders are being urged to fly across the ditch to take up fruit picking jobs to plug desperate farm worker shortages.

With backpacker numbers significantly down and growers crying out for seasonal workers, Tourism Australia will launch a new campaign in NZ on Friday to spruik working holidays to young Kiwis.

It comes as the tourism industry calls for visitors from Singapore, the Pacific Islands and South Korea to be among the first international tourists, beyond NZ, under a new travel bubble.

The campaign comes at a vital time for SA growers, with The Advertiser this week revealing summer fruit and vegetable prices are tipped to spike by 15 to 25 per cent due to a dire shortage in overseas workers.

Riverland stone fruit grower Michael Trautwein said he knew a local grower who had been forced to let 12ha of fruit rot without being picked because of the labour shortages.

About 27,000 backpackers with working holiday maker visas worked in South Australia last year, with number set to nose-dive during to international travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

A Tourism Australia campaign will encourage New Zealanders to fly over for a working holiday.

But Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said Tourism Australia’s “Big Overseas Experience” campaign would help encourage young Kiwis to take a working holiday in Australia this summer.

“It will not only provide a tourism boost but also help fill some of the current workforce shortages that some businesses are facing, particularly those across regional areas or in our popular tourism destinations,” Senator Birmingham said.

“We want young New Zealanders to cross the ditch, have a cracking time exploring our incredible country, earn some cash, spend that cash, and support our farmers or tourism operators at the same time.”

Meanwhile visitors from Singapore, the Pacific Islands and South Korea could be some of the first international tourists, beyond NZ to arrive in South Australia if the industry gets its wish.

On Friday Premier Steven Marshall will meet with all state and territory leaders, except West Australia’s Mark McGowan, for the first in-person national cabinet since the pandemic hit Australia.

“We are looking at what we can do with further travel bubbles,” Mr Marshall said.

“My Government will continue to look at ways we can strengthen and support South Australia’s tourism sector. However, that has to be done in a Covid-safe way, and with a focus on keeping South Australia safe and strong. We will work in lock-step with the Commonwealth looking at international travel bubbles, like the NZ arrangement we currently have.”

Tourism Council South Australia chief executive officer Shaun de Bruyn said travel bubbles would help to reboot international travel and support business recovery

“Many tourism businesses across the state have really felt the absence of the international markets over the past 12-months,” Mr de Bruyn said.

“Singapore is a lucrative international visitor market for South Australia as they are one of our most mature markets, which means they like to spend and engage in new food, wine and nature-based experiences in both Adelaide and across regional SA.

“The direct air access via Singapore Airlines also makes it easy for Singaporeans to travel to our state.”

Mr de Bruyn said Singapore, the Pacific Islands and South Korea were all expected to be considered as part of new bubbles: “In 2019, 13,000 Singaporeans visited South Australia and generated $54 million in expenditure.”

Mr de Bruyn said Japan was also an important visitor market for our state, with 9000 visitors injecting $31 million into SA’ s visitor economy in 2019.

SA Tourism Commission chief executive Rodney Harrex said the state was back in market with campaigns encouraging Christmas and summer bookings interstate, and was looking at the possible easing of international restrictions.

Mr Marshall said one of the other areas national cabinet would also be focused on was a vaccine and the roll out of it.

He also said he would be urging Mr McGowan to open the border to WA: “There are many people in our state who have friends and family in WA, who they would love to see for Christmas.”