ChristchurchNZ head of tourism, Kath Low, said there is some optimism in the industry following the announcement of the borders reopening. However. the major issue will be staff.
ChristchurchNZ fronted at the Ashburton District Council quarterly update last week, which outlined the ongoing impacts of Covid 19 hampering the sector.
Its report included results from a survey of local tourism industry businesses that showed low market confidence.
Of the 34 businesses to respond, 23 reported having to refinance during the Covid period to save their business, and 12 businesses said they were considering selling up.
The confidence in a return to normal business was low, with the survey undertaken before changes to the border restrictions were announced, with most suggesting it would take at least six months, although some were hopeful of a good winter if/ when the borders reopened.
“We are paying the correct wage, but there is a massive demand, so they want more. We cannot find staff willing to work for the wages that we can afford,” one business said.
District councillor Stuart Wilson said given the expected surge of incoming tourists when the borders re-opened, how prepared and capable was the industry.
Low said the expectation was that, like last year, the first rush of arrivals would be visiting friends and relatives, followed by the leisure market.
However, he said, as the survey showed, staffing was "a real challenge".
"Our hope is that there will be an influx of those young people whose OE’s have been put on hold for the last few years and they will want to make the rush to New Zealand.”
However, district councillor John Falloon said the big question in that hope is if Immigration New Zealand will allow the work visas, given "some of the idiot decisions immigration have made to date, we could be holding out for a long time".
While the industry hopes to be buoyed by the return of international tourists, Low said they will continue to focus on the domestic tourism market.
-By Jonathan Leask
Local democracy reporter
