Taupō travel agents busy as border rules ease and locals look to head overseas

House of Travel Taupō retail manager Megan Bishop (left), travel consultant Melissa Duder and senior consultant Kristin Brown have been inundated with inquiries. Photo / David Beck

"We knew we were going to be busy once borders opened but this has exceeded all of our expectations."

Those are the words of House of Travel Taupō retail manager Megan Bishop, who says demand is skyrocketing as New Zealand moves through a phased reopening of the border and MIQ requirements are scrapped for most travellers and New Zealanders returning home.

The current rush is in stark contrast to the two years previous, during which a "huge reduction" in income meant House of Travel Taupō had to make staff redundant.

"We have rehired a staff member and are working additional hours to keep up with demand," Megan says.

"We also have to check Covid requirements, which are different for each country and airline, so this takes a lot of extra time now than it did pre-Covid.

"[The last two years] were very tough, we had to make three staff redundant, but we were determined to look after our customers' credits and be a successful business once again once things returned to more normality."

Insurance is a hot topic among those inquiring about travel at present, as lingering uncertainty over Covid-19 and changing restrictions remains.

"Some countries require you to have Covid travel insurance cover to be able to enter them now. Covid has also highlighted the importance of travel insurance and having a travel agent beside you, helping to deal with the unforeseen."

A range of destinations are proving popular and the House of Travel Taupō team have been treated to some heartwarming tales.

"Fiji, Rarotonga, UK and cruising are incredibly busy, with world cruises selling out within two days. A lot of people are travelling to see family. There are some really heartwarming reunions like the granddaughter who surprised her nana at her 100th birthday in London as borders opened just a week before her birthday."

Meanwhile, the horizon may not be looking so bright for domestic tourism as we head into winter.

Local tourism operators here in Taupō are slowly seeing international bookings, predominantly from the US and Australia, arrive from August onwards, but are bracing for what could be a cold winter.

Love Taupō general manager Jane Wilson says the next two to three months are looking "very soft".

"It will certainly be a challenging time for most of the industry."

While international bookings are "slowly coming in" from August onwards, the next few months could be challenging for local tourism providers. Photo / Love Taupo

Border restrictions easing and allowing Kiwis to venture overseas, rather than explore their own backyard, could hurt local tourism, she says.

"We know that outbound bookings to Australia and the South Pacific, in particular, have been relatively strong and will no doubt only increase as the weather gets colder.

"One of the key challenges we keep hearing about includes a desperate need for more staff and in many cases highly skilled and qualified staff. Many have left the industry and are no longer available, and obviously, this is impacting their ability to operate. For example, you can't just hire anybody to guide a raft down a river or drive a jet boat.

"There is also concern about having the funding necessary to kickstart their businesses in readiness for international arrivals. The recently announced Kickstart Fund is only available to five regions and many of our smaller operators who have been severely impacted by the loss of international visitors need this support just as much as their counterparts in the South Island."

Jane says there is also concern about product availability.

"For example, our backpacker stock has been decimated as our hostels have either had to close or take on permanent residents to stay afloat. This stock can not quickly return to the market.

"The backpacker sector provides an important source of seasonal staff for our region, especially for the hospitality and tourism sector, but they also need somewhere to stay and without the hostels available and a real shortage of available rental accommodation it will be difficult to attract these temporary residents."

Top tips for those thinking of heading overseas:

• Support your local travel agent as they are the experts in travel.

• Get travel insurance.

• Recheck travel advice and Covid-19 rules a week before you leave.

• Check your passports are still valid.

• Give yourself three hours of check-in time

• Eat before you get to the airport as a lot of eateries are still closed.

• Book early - flights are selling out fast and prices rise quickly.