South coast tourism decline costs economy millions

A region already wracked by bushfire crisis is now being sapped by the government’s lockdown laws. Is there a way to free NSW’s south coast paradise before summer?

Border closures and lockdowns have cost the south coast economy hundreds of millions as tourism declines dramatically across the region with no end in sight.

According to Tourism Research Australia, the Sapphire Coast, stretching from Eden to Bermagui, has recorded an estimated loss of $186 million in visitor spending because of lockdown restrictions. The black summer fires cost the local economy a further $93 million.

In the Shoalhaven, the local council estimates more than $107 million has been lost from tourism because of both the pandemic and bushfires.

Lara Henderson from Woebegone Freedive on the south coast. Picture: @russellquinnphoto

Lara Henderson of Woebegone Freedive in Jervis Bay said she was feeling the loss of tourism spending.

“We have a pretty big following in the Shoalhaven, but we also get a lot of people from Sydney and Canberra who stay for the weekend and will book with us,” she said.

“Over half of our customers are coming from the Sydney area, and now we aren’t trading at all, even for the locals.”

Running boat trips, freediving courses, and tours to swim with whales and seals, Ms Henderson said her business’ peak season should be occurring now but government restrictions had stopped them from operating.

A whale in Jervis Bay, seen on a Woebegone Freedive tour. Picture: @wilderness.productions

“We have a permit to swim with the migrating humpback whales, so if we were able to trade that is what we would be doing right now,” she said.

“The seals and whale tours bring us heaps of business; we are usually doing four trips a week at this time.

“We are hoping people might book in future dates ... we don’t have anything right now.”

Six thousand full time jobs rely on tourism in the Shoalhaven while 1600 positions are supported by the industry further south in the Eurobodalla Shire.

More than 40 per cent of spending in the Eurobodalla economy came from visitors.

“The periods of Covid lockdowns and bushfires mean the shire isn’t receiving this spend and it puts pressure on our businesses and community,” a council spokesperson said.

Wagonga Inlet at Narooma is a popular tourism destination in the Eurobodalla. Picture: Destination NSW

The spokesperson said visitor spending in the most recent financial year had been partially buoyed by Sydney-based tourists who may have otherwise travellled overseas or interstate but had decided to holiday closer to home.

“These visitors spent more per person and stayed longer, engaging in more experiences including food and wine, adventure and Aboriginal experiences,” a Shoalhaven council spokesperson said.

The far south coast tourism industry employs more than 4000 people and relied heavily on Victorian visitors.

“Our major spend market is Victoria at 60 per cent, so we are impacted heavily by closures in New South Wales and Victoria,” Anthony Osborne of the Destination Agency said on the Sapphire Coast’s economic loss.

Mr Osborne was hopeful Sapphire Coast tourism would improve in the immediate future.

“We would be assuming a bumper December-January if we open up,” he said.

A Eurobodalla council spokesperson said new businesses were “looking at setting up in the next 12-24 months”, which was a “reason for optimism”.

Diving tour in Jervis Bay have been put on hold by the pandemic. Picture @brodiewmedia

Miss Henderson was also hopeful trade would resume in time for the summer holidays.

“We want to keep doing what we love and sharing the beauty of Jervis Bay with everyone,” she said.

“I hope guests are back.”