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Tasmania
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TASMANIA’S border remains closed to visitors from greater Melbourne just three days out from what was shaping up to be a mega and much-needed Dark Mofo tourist dollar injection.
Hobart’s winter festival opens on Wednesday and there is no word yet on whether the border restrictions will be lifted to allow all Victorians who have booked flights and accommodation to come and join in the action.
Tourism Industry Council Tasmania CEO Luke Martin said bookings around Dark Mofo were strong but there were fears Victorians will start cancelling their rooms, hire cars and other bookings this week.
The latest Victorian lockdown had already impacted Tasmanian tourism and put a dent in what was shaping up as a record rebound, he said.
“It depends on the timing but hotel operators could struggle to re-book cancelled reservations from Melburnians. Fingers crossed we will know in the next few days what the situation is.
“The State Government has been very responsive in lifting border restrictions as soon as possible in the past so hopefully we will know the situation soon.”
Mr Martin said the only saving grace of the latest lockdown was that it happened in the middle of June not in a peak season.
“While it’s hard to get a real read on the situation it looks like hotel bookings are 30-40 per cent down on May,” he said.
“It has been very disruptive we were building to a record winter season then fell off a cliff.
“We had been banking on the autumn momentum continuing. On the upside we are looking towards a very strong 2021-22 peak season if there are no more disruptions.”
“Every time this happens it dents confidence with research showing 40 per cent of Australians will simply not travel with the threat of border closures hanging over them.”
Mr Martin said operators holding bookings must advice customers of what their cancellation policies are before those bookings are cancelled.
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