4 minute read
A message from TICT Chair Daniel Leesong
A MESSAGE FROM OUR CHAIR
I’m writing to you from quarantine in self-isolation in WA!
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Like so many of you, I have had to make many very difficult decisions over the past few weeks to ensure my own business makes it through to the other side of COVID. In the weeks leading up to the March shut-down I was franticly organising tradies putting the finishing touches on two new Coal River Farm retail outlets in Perth and Fremantle, rushing to have them open in time for Easter. Those stores have been sitting empty since, chewing through rent, earning no income, and causing me far too many sleepless nights. With restrictions easing in WA, last week I made the decision to fly-over and go into quarantine for 14 days so It has been a disruption like I can finally get these stores open and generating some revenue. no other, and my Mine might be an extreme thoughts are with all my tourism colleagues across example, but so many of us in business have had to do things we never would have imagined doing just ten the State. Especially weeks ago. the many of you, Letting much valued staff go, who, like my family, have it all on the line. It’s been tough. or cutting their hours, seeking government support and loan deferrals, and resetting budgets and business plans with no real certainty about when things might begin to normalise.
It has been a disruption like no other, and my thoughts are with all my tourism colleagues across the State. Especially the many of you, who, like my family, have it all on the line. It’s been tough. The good news is there is a light at the end of the tunnel, with local restrictions now easing, and many operators looking forward to a resumption of activities over winter. We are hearing encouraging reports about Tasmanians booking winter getaways, particularly around the July School Holidays. The intrastate market is not going to be the same for everyone, and we need to be realistic about its scale and the economic challenges many Tasmanian families are now confronting, meaning getaways are not possible for everyone. But it’s something we need to embrace, and it will be so great to see people travelling the State again soon. Obviously, attention has now turned to our interstate borders, and when we can expect to welcome back our interstate visitors. The reality for many businesses like mine, is that this is when our recovery can really begin.
I share the frustration being expressed by many tourism operators in struggling to rationalise the contradictory messages coming from the Prime Minister and the Federal Government that there is no medical basis for States to have closed their borders, with the position of some State Governments maintaining border restrictions indefinitely. As an industry we would have preferred a national approach to border restrictions being lifted. This is clearly not going to happen with different States adopting different approaches, including in Tasmania. I do take my hat off to our Premier, who has done an exceptional job in the most difficult of circumstances. He has been very open with me, and the industry, about his position on slowly lifting restrictions always in the interests of the public heath of Tasmanians. We respect his approach. He has made clear he hopes to be able to announce a date in July for when border restrictions will be lifted. Assuming the country continues to supress the virus as restrictions continue to ease across the country, we should look forward to our domestic markets re-opening soon after. It has been up-lifting to see the way our industry has rallied over the past few weeks at all levels. Many operators are connecting through Zoom meetings, and the overarching sense is one of optimism and positivity about how we will come out of this crisis. This is particularly true with TICT. Our board is meeting regularly with very high levels of engagement identifying both the immediate priorities for operators around business support, along with the steps we need to take over coming months and years to rebuild our great visitor economy. After the initial shock and trauma of the shutdown, our board discussions have been forward looking and positive, with a sense of unity and shared purpose that makes our Tasmanian tourism industry unique. As Chair, I’m proud of the role TICT is playing in making relevant and timely information available to industry through our ‘Talking Tourism’ Podcasts and other regular communications out to the industry, while quickly bringing together some exciting new business development programs that many operators will participate in over-coming months. TICT will continue to advocate and ensure the industry has a strong voice through the crisis and the recovery. We will always be constructive in putting our ideas and priorities forward to the industry, all levels of government and the community.
TICT will continue to advocate and ensure the industry has a strong voice through the crisis and the recovery. We will always be constructive in putting our ideas and priorities forward to the industry, all levels of government and the community. I want to thank you for your support of our organisation and the industry through these difficult months, and wish you and your business well for the re-opening and recovery ahead.
