Tourism suffers (again) as Queenslanders cancel holidays

THE hard border closure is having an impact on holiday park operators in Northern NSW.

Reflections Holiday Park at Evans Head.

HOLIDAYS parks and other tourism operators have had to - once again - change tactics and face a number of cancellations after the Queensland border closure last week.

For some of them, it means focusing on the domestic NSW market exclusively.

Executive manager operations for Reflections Holiday Parks, Cameron Tynan, said they had seen cancellations.

"Yes, our Northern NSW parks are very popular with Queenslanders," he said.

"The Queensland border closure has resulted in a number of calls from our Queensland-based guests who need to amend or cancel their booking.

"Most guests are really wanting to stay at our parks when they can travel so Reflections is offering to transfer bookings to the same date in 2021.

"We are also offering to cancel bookings with either a credit left in their name for when they are able to use it or a full refund."

The executive said all 37 of their holiday parks throughout NSW have a comprehensive Covid-Safe Plan in place, with increased cleaning intervals and hygiene standards as well as social distancing measures throughout the parks.

Asked about recent coastal erosion at Clarkes Beach in Byron Bay and its impact on their Byron facility, Mr Tynan said the company was monitoring the beach erosion closely.

"We had a long period of sand accretion over summer and have recently lost all that sand once again in the most recent tides and swell events," he said.

"We also monitor how much sand is on The Pass as generally this is subsequently deposited on the beach.

"Reflections are the Crown Land manager for Clarkes Beach up to the mean high-water mark. That's just the sand directly in front of our holiday park."

Byron Shire Council is developing a Coastal Management Plan and Reflections is a major stakeholder in that plan.