Covid-19: People hunker down, tourists cancel bookings, as Omicron cases rise in Nelson

Tuesday, 1 February 2022

Some business owners say people are hunkering down and staying home now that the Omicron variant of Covid-19 is in the Nelson region. (File photo)

More people are hunkering down under the threat of Omicron and avoiding going out in the Nelson region, with one business owner saying the effect is like being in a Covid-19 lockdown.

The move to the red traffic light setting in the Covid-19 protection framework has been a swift blow to some of the region’s businesses, while others report that trade is still ticking along despite the threat of Omicron in the Nelson region.

Munro Hotels Group general manager Garry Munro said January was great for his Nelson businesses, Trailways Hotel and DeLorenzo’s Studio Apartments, until January 23 when the country moved into the red setting because of community cases of Omicron.

From then, people started cancelling bookings, he said.

Garry Munro, Munro Hotels Group general manager, says Omicron and the move to the red setting in the Covid-19 protection framework has triggered daily cancellations of bookings.

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Some holidaymakers haven’t been deterred by Omicron being in the Nelson region, but bookings are slightly down at Tāhuna Beach Holiday Park because of Covid-19. File photo.

“Last Sunday happened and it’s just been a mass exodus since then,” Munro said. “Every day more and more disappear. It’s just like being in lockdown mode.”

People could still travel in the red setting, but they were choosing not to, Munro said. Business was now one third of what it was before the red setting, with fewer visitors staying and fewer locals eating at his restaurant.

“People say ‘this is our last dinner out’,” he said. “It’s the fear of the unknown. Everyone’s hunkering down.

“We’ve lost a whole lot of domestic tours as well because tour operators can’t take the risk that someone will get sick on the tour.”

Munro said it was likely business would stay quiet until people decided they’d had enough of staying home and ventured out again. How long that would be was unknown.

Tāhuna Beach Holiday Park and Motels customer services manager Tina Thomas said guest numbers at the holiday park were a little down on last year and future bookings were also down because of Covid-19, although it was busier than what they had expected.

Tourists and locals are feeling uneasy, with some cancelling trips to the Nelson region, following the announcement of Omicron cases in the Nelson region and the country’s shift to the red traffic light setting.

Some vulnerable people, especially elderly people who had been regular holidaymakers at the park, had decided against staying this summer because of Covid-19, she said.

“They’re taking more precautions than usual,” Thomas said.

Because the holiday park was accepting non-vaccinated guests along with those who were vaccinated, some people also felt uneasy about staying there, she added.

The holiday park was about 10 per cent down on guests than normal for this time of year, and forward bookings for February could be about 20 per cent down, although it was currently getting more “walk-in” guests which were not factored in, Thomas said.

Associate Health Minister Ayesha Verrall details New Zealand's plan to deal with the Omicron outbreak.

Pohara Beach Top 10 Holiday Park duty manager Robin Bridger said they had their busiest summer on record, and while it had quietened off a little now, bookings were strong for the upcoming Waitangi weekend.

The Pohara holiday park required vaccine passes, which made guests feel comfortable, he believed.

While Omicron’s arrival in the region had caused some people to cancel bookings, those vacant slots were being filled by other holidaymakers, Bridger said. However, he believed visitor numbers would calm down and that this month would be quieter than last February.

Wilsons Abel Tasman chief executive Darryl Wilson said there was a “certain uneasiness” among people as they came to terms with Omicron in the community.

“Fingers crossed that the reality is not as dire as we think,” Wilson said.

Bookings had dropped slightly last week after news of Omicron in the Motueka area, but had now recovered, Wilson said. Bookings were still coming in from around the country, he said.

He believed people could cope with catching Covid-19, but the bigger issue for many travellers from the North Island was the thought of having to quarantine and isolate in the South Island for two weeks, away from their businesses and homes, if they became connected to a positive Covid-19 case.

“That weighs most on people’s minds.”

Skydive Abel Tasman founder Stuart Bean said times were pretty tough for Motueka businesses.

This year’s summer wasn’t as strong as the last, and while domestic tourists were still coming, the numbers had waned a bit.

Normally the company would get a mix of North and South Islanders over the summer, with a Christmas influx and a late January rush that would last for a couple of months.

However, the late January rush had not arrived. Bean assumed this was due to a mixture of Omicron and the red traffic light setting making people stay home.

Additionally, last year people were “gagging” to get out and do stuff, he said.

With no signs of any changes being made to New Zealand’s borders, it was looking to be “a very quiet winter”.

“We’re thinking about contingencies and what we’ll do about it,” Bean said.

Fortunately the new owners of the businesses were committed to being there long term.

Bean said people should try to support local businesses, cafes and restaurants.

“When it gets difficult we need to look after our neighbours.”