Coronavirus: Not time for knee-jerk reaction to coronavirus, say tourism operators

Tourism operators have seen a dramatic drop in Chinese visitors, Australia’s biggest source of ­foreign travellers.

Passengers from Shanghai arrive at Brisbane International Airport on Thursday. Picture: Peter Wallis

Under normal circumstances in January, airlines would have carried close to 200,000 people on ­direct flights to Australia from China, our biggest source of ­foreign visitors.

Hundreds, even thousands more would have arrived on indirect flights through Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong for the Australian summer and to celebrate Lunar New Year down under.

But tourism operators have ­already seen a dramatic drop in Chinese visitors as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, and the Chinese government’s ban on group travel.

Australian Tourism Industry Council executive director Simon Westaway said Phillip Island operators, who would normally host many Chinese tour groups over summer, had reported a 15 per cent fall in numbers.

He said hotels along the Great Ocean Road were suffering similar drops and it was not helpful for the Transport Workers Union to be calling for a halt on all flights from China.

“It’s not the time for a reactionary position which could create more harm and angst,” he said.

“We’ve got to be cautious, measured and we’ve got to follow the guidance of the Chief Medical Officer.”

Mr Westaway pointed out that China was not only our biggest source of overseas visitors but Australia’s largest trading partner and such a hostile move could damage that relationship. “To say we should shut down parts of the economy when there’s a handful of cases is not helpful,” he said.

TWU national secretary ­Michael Kaine said air travel was the most efficient means for the virus to spread, and was integral to cases occurring in 18 other countries.

“So far, there have been nine cases of coronavirus confirmed in Australia, and more are being tested,” Mr Kaine said. “All flights from China must be suspended until this disease is under control.”

Most flights between Australia and China have been maintained since the coronavirus outbreak was confirmed by the Chinese government in the first week of January.

Only China Eastern’s thrice-weekly service from Wuhan to Sydney has been axed as a result of a travel ban out of the city worst hit by coronavirus.

Official figures on short-term arrivals from China in January will not be available from the Australian Bureau of Statistics until March.

Airlines have been reluctant to comment on that month’s load factors for commercial reasons but Qantas has not had a big enough fall to withdraw services.

China Eastern, China Southern, Air China, Hainan, Sichuan, Xiamen, Tianjin and Donghai airlines also operate between Australia and ports in mainland China, including Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

Federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said airlines that had stopped flights to China, including British Airways and American Airlines, had done so for commercial reasons.

“In terms of why we continue to allow flights to occur, we are acting firmly in accordance with public health advice there,” he told Sydney radio 2GB.

Mr Westaway said the level of dysfunction from halting flights from China would outweigh any benefit: “We’re not only looking at this through dollar signs, we’re looking at it through the broader community impact as well.”