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Calls for the Government to allow inter-regional travel in Alert Level 2 are growing in Otago and Southland.

Yesterday, the chief executive of Southland's regional development agency, Great South, Graham Budd, said he was deeply concerned that further delaying the lifting of travel restrictions would pose significant risks for the viability of business in the South and the economic restart in the Southland region.

He said the tourism industry was hurting, and the reality was that if travel restrictions continued, many local businesses would no longer be viable.

The call included supporting business travel, as well as enabling people to visit friends and family.

Clutha-Southland MP Hamish Walker also submitted a petition to Government calling for some flight services to return to Queenstown.

‘‘Inter-regional travel needs to be allowed at Alert Level 2, which will allow our tourism industry to restart in the South.’’

More than 4800 signatures had been collected.