Covid 19 coronavirus: Local operators see transtasman as path to recovery

Chief operating officer of Air Chathams Duane Emeny thinks the timing was appropriate for a transtasman bubble. Photo / Bevan Conley

Local travel consultants and airline operators are excited to see some sense of normality restored after the Government confirmed the transtasman bubble was opening.

From April 19, people arriving from Australia will not have to quarantine.

The bubble has been months in the making and locals are jumping at the opportunity to leave the country for the first time since Covid-19 hit our shores.

Chief operating officer Duane Emeny said the bubble was great news for the industry.

"It's excellent news. We have been hanging out for this news. It is so crucial to our recovery."

Emeny said the timing of the bubble was appropriate and a vast amount of work had gone in to ensure it operated safely.

"Every single risk of possible transmission of the virus was meticulously looked at."

Air Chathams has had its three biggest days of sales this week since early 2020, before Covid-19 hit the country.

"We have definitely seen a lot of interest which is great."

Emeny said Air Chathams would be slowly building up its services over the coming months.

In May, Air Chathams are looking to add more flights on Fridays to help link with flights leaving to Australia.

In August, Emeny said it planned on expanding Whanganui's flight schedule.

Currently at 24 flights a week, Air Chathams will return to 36 flights by August, the number it was pre-Covid.

"For us, it's so important we get that local support. We have been in Whanganui for the last five years and we aren't going anywhere. Whanganui has always been supportive and we look for that to continue."

Air Chathams hopes to return to its pre-Covid-19 level by August. Photo / File

Travel consultant at helloworld Travel Wanganui Tina Law said it's relieving to have some normality restored after one of the toughest years for the industry.

"It gives us more options. It is promising and we have some hope. Once the Rarotonga bubble opens up, a sense of normality will return."

She said they hadn't been as busy as they thought they may have been.

Law puts that down to people being cautious and waiting to see how the system operates, what happens if there are any outbreaks and how they are dealt with.

"We have had a good amount of interest from locals. People are making bookings for around Christmas time. But I think people want to see how they handle any outbreaks and are worried they may get stuck in Australia if that was to happen."

Law said there hasn't been any one destination that has been overly popular, with locals booking all across Australia including Perth, Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane.

"It's pretty exciting we can go there and once the general public is confident the right systems are in place, then we will see more and more look to go over. It will just get better and better."

With the bubble opening, New Zealand will welcome masses of international tourists for the first time in 18 months.

Whanganui has been one of the few regions to record tourism growth over the past 12 months and the prospect of seeing international tourists is exciting for Whanganui & Partners strategic lead - visitor industries Paul Chaplow.

Chaplow said he wasn't expecting fewer domestic visitors with the bubble opening and knew Whanganui could benefit from Australian visitors.

"The bubble opening is a positive for our visitor industry and will also be a big relief for Whanganui residents who have friends and family in Australia."

The domestic growth shows Whanganui is an increasingly popular destination and having Australians visit will only add to that rise.

"Our visitor industry was growing before border closures, and we have continued to promote Whanganui and track growth, so we see the bubble opening as providing more opportunities for our local visitor industry."

Freelance Travel Consultant for NZ Travel Brokers - Wanganui Colin Thompson said the bubble was a good start, but personally hadn't seen much of a response due to a variety of reasons.

"Ninety-five per cent of my clientele is for long-haul travel, journeys to the United Kingdom, USA and Europe."

He said a large percentage of travellers to Australia are visiting friends or relatives not for expansive tourism-based travel.

"The vast majority of people travelling over to Australia can just book online as they are visiting and staying with family."

Thompson said the bubble with the Pacific Islands would open up greater possibilities for him.

"If they can open that up, I think that would change things."