Coronavirus: Regional Victorian tourism hit by China ban

Heather Nicholls, who runs Berry World at Timboon, is usually kept busy with hundreds of Chinese tourists but has only seen a few visit since the Coronavirus outbreak, and she’s not the only small regional business hurting.

Heather Nicholls says Berry World is usually kept busy with Chinese tourists. Pictures: Andy Rogers

REGIONAL Victorian businesses are experiencing a “scary time” of uncertainty as the effect of coronavirus and China travel ban take hold, off the back of devastating bushfires.

“It’s one of the most traumatic starts to new year we’ve ever seen and it’s not going to go away quickly,” Victoria Tourism Industry Council chief executive Felicia Mariani said.

“We have lost what should have been the peak tourism period to bushfire and now we’ve lost what should be the peak for the key international period.”

The Australian Government prohibited foreign nationals from entering Australia from February 1 if they had been in China within 14 days.

Ms Mariani said Victoria was already experiencing a significant decline in visitation.

“In Victoria, Chinese spend is 39 per cent ($3.5 billion) of total international spend and a quarter nationally. It’s a big figure to be at risk,” she said.

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Heather Nicholls, who runs Berry World, a pick-your-own berry farm at Timboon, relies on tourism for about 45 per cent of her business’ income. During peak periods, nearly half of the farm’s visitors can be Chinese.

“We looked forward to seeing little mini buses of Asian families coming through and we’re not seeing it at all,” she said.

“Since coronavirus we’ve seen three Chinese families, and for me to be able to remember that, it’s unusual.”

Tim Marwood, who owns Timboon Fine Ice Cream, opened a new store in Port Campbell late last year expecting to attract the Chinese tourism market.

“We were expecting it to be a lot busier and it’s just not happening,” he said.

Phillip Island Nature Parks, including the Penguin Parade, welcome more than 275,000 Chinese visitors a year and expect to see the travel ban’s impact within the next week, after visitors who were already in Australia head home.

“The nature parks would certainly expect a financial impact directly attributable to the coronavirus across our attractions,” head of international sales and communications Roland Pick said.

Ms Mariani said while tourism operators were feeling the pinch, other small regional businesses were also struggling from the flow-on effect, which would likely lead to job cuts.