Kinglake accommodation sites full after influx of long weekend bookings
The Queen’s Birthday break will mark the state’s first long weekend since the easing of coronavirus restrictions. Kinglake accommodation sites are full and owners hope it’s just the spark needed to restart the tourist industry.
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Accommodation sites across Kinglake are booking out for the upcoming long weekend as lockdown restrictions ease across Victoria.
But hotel owners say the influx of requests had also involved customers trying to capitalise on struggling businesses by negotiating cheaper fares.
Paradiso Kinglake owner Sam D’Agostino told Leader he had seen “zero income” since the start of the year.
“It disgruntles me that some people have called up trying to take advantage of businesses desperate for income,” he said.
“We have still incurred running costs during the pandemic and if anything, it’s sparkling clean and ready to go.”
The State Government announced on May 24 Victorians would be allowed to stay overnight at private residences and tourist accommodation from June 1, under an easing of coronavirus restrictions.
Mr D’Agostino said he was “smashed” with queries immediately after the news.
“We had a heap of inquiries just for this upcoming long weekend so it’s great the government eased the restrictions at this time — it’s been the first bit of customer activity in quite some time,” he said.
Karma Kinglake owner Steve Neil also said his bed and breakfast would be booked out this weekend.
But he said the future remained in doubt until at least October.
“The same day the government announced the easing of restrictions we started getting calls,” Mr Neil said.
“But it’s really unknown from there on because we don’t really have any other bookings until October and November — which is when most of our weddings and other bookings got postponed until.
“We’ve had to cancel about 60 per cent of our bookings, while 40 per cent got moved — so we’ve got a heap of ground to make up still.”
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Kinglake Pub owner John Holmes said a delivery service had saved his business during the pandemic.
“Delivery services are pretty much unheard of in Kinglake, but it’s been a saviour,” he said.
“Our hotel caters more to workers on the go and tradies so haven’t had much interest there but the calls have been coming in hard and fast about when the bistro is opening and when someone can duck in for a beer.
“Hopefully it just picks up from here on.”