Quarantine-free travel bubbles with Australia and the Cook Islands could happen early next year if everything goes to plan. Photo / File
Long-awaited travel bubbles with Australia and the Cook Islands are being cautiously welcomed by Northland travel operators following government announcements of quarantine-free holidays.
But it's a case of too little too late for some agents, who have been forced to close their offices and businesses due to a lack of income in an industry decimated by the coronavirus pandemic.
Whangārei's Shannell Christmas made the tough call to close her office on Bank St in September, just seven months after branching out on her own.
Though she is still running Travel and Cruise HQ from home, she also has three part-time jobs to make ends meet.
"We were making no money," she said.
"There is no income, the industry is just bleeding."
Christmas said the travel bubbles were a good start, but with all the uncertainty of the pandemic, she wasn't holding her breath.
The Cook Islands bubble "would be quite good but with Aussie it's not a big money earner for travel agents", she said.
"It's good news in terms of progress, but then again we all thought the Cook Islands would be open by now.
"The Government has been talking about it for quite some time.
"We're not really holding our breath, it's so uncertain. You couldn't bank on that."
On Monday Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Cabinet had agreed in principle to a transtasman bubble early next year, saying "New Zealanders desperately need a break."
But this will only happen if there are no significant changes in the Covid-19 circumstances of either country and if Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison gives the plan the all-clear.
No dates have been set, with Ardern saying she would make an announcement on that in the New Year.
Ardern also announced recently that plans were in place to allow travel between the Cook Islands and New Zealand by the end of the first quarter of 2021.
Both arrangements would allow travellers to bypass quarantine requirements in both countries.
House of Travel Whangārei owner operator Stephen Gillingham said their team – which has been reduced from 20 to 10 – were "ready to go".
"We just need certainty of the date.
"The biggest frustration for customers is they want certainty of information."
Gillingham said there have been a "small amount" of committed bookings on flexible fares to Australia since the announcement, and "heavy inquiry" from those wanting to travel.
There is a "pent up emotional need from families on both sides of the Tasman to reconnect", he said.
"We're super excited, particularly for families that have been disconnected from loved ones and the like, who have the opportunity to do it in a safe way - the only part that's missing is the actual date.
"We're just keen to have people able to reconnect and have that ability to travel."
The travel and tourism industry has been hit hard by the global pandemic, with no international visitors allowed through New Zealand's closed borders.
Around the country, hundreds of staff have been made redundant.
In August the Northern Advocate reported local agents were pleading with the Government to help their "haemorrhaging" industry survive.
You Travel Whangārei owner Stephanie Mitchell had to take out a second mortgage on her home to cover the wages of her staff.
She has since left the company, and the remaining three consultants have become home-based after the office was closed.
You Travel Whangārei travel associate David Moss said they are now licenced through a You Travel branch in Auckland.
Moss said he was "cautious" about the travel bubbles.
"We have heard the announcements so many times. It's a case of we'll wait and see."
Moss also questioned how bookings would work if cases of Covid were found in either country and borders closed again.
"What happens to everybody's holidays? That's my issue, I'd like to see how the Government is putting it all together.
"It won't be business as usual. People need to be wary of how they book holidays and the conditions that go with airline tickets and hotel accommodation."
Waitangi Treaty Grounds chief executive Greg McManus said the travel announcements were a "great start" which would be good for all New Zealand tourism operators.
"It will be fantastic," McManus said.
"It would mean a lot for us. Auckland and Australia are our two biggest markets.
"Aucklanders have been fantastic while we've only had domestic visitors, but having Australian visitors as well will make a massive difference."
McManus said the next "logical step" would be some sort of Asia Pacific bubble.
House of Travel Whangārei will soon be downsizing to a smaller office.
Staff will be moving from Rathbone St to a new premises on the corner of Cameron and John streets on January 11.