Coronavirus: Australia’s premium hotels poised to benefit from lack of international travel

Australia’s premier hotels are bracing themselves for a boom in demand, as local travellers set their eyes on offerings closer to home.

Australia’s premier hotels are bracing for a boom in demand as local travellers starved of overseas jaunts set their eyes on offerings closer to home.

With international travel off the agenda for the foreseeable ­future, Australia’s first-class hotels are already seeing soaring interest — instead of planning trips to Mykonos and Ibiza, locals are preparing to splash their travel cash in their own backyard.

Aa spokeswoman for Hamilton Island resort Qualia, which is set to reopen on August 1, said there had been “overwhelming support from domestic travellers”.

In August and September, occupancy rates are at 80 per cent, and despite the lack of inter­national tourists, higher on average across the next six months than the same time last year.

About three hours northwest of Sydney, the Emirates One & Only Wolgan Valley is well-positioned to capitalise on travellers after a weekend escape from the city.

General manager Tim Stanhope said the hotel’s reopening presented guests with an opportunity to experience the Australian landscape. “After a difficult start to the year, (we) reopened on July 1, and … bookings and community support have come back strongly,” he said.

It is understood it is already operating at near-full capacity.

Craig Bradbery, chief operating officer of Baillie Lodges, the owner of the Northern Territory’s Longitude 131, said he hoped Australians chose to visit the nation’s “spiritual heart” in style. “Bookings have been very strong,” he said. “Spring is always a great time to visit the Red Centre, with warm days and cool nights — perfect for sightseeing and stargazing.”

At Tasmania’s Saffire Frey­cinet at Coles Bay, spirits remain high despite the closure of state borders. Marketing manager Greg Farrell Jr said occupancy for the next six months was at 70 per cent — on par with the same period last year. However, interest had spiked during the period of relative calm before dropping off after the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in Melbourne.