Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) is pushing to make domestic travel, including aviation, possible under alert level two. At the same time, a petition for reopening Queenstown Airport has garnered almost 5,000 signatures, many of them local. 

The groups’ shared goal is to get tourism back on its feet as soon as possible. 

The government’s alert level two guidelines currently advise people to avoid any non-essential inter-regional travel.

But keeping the tourism industry closed for weeks or months longer, until we reach level one, will put thousands of jobs and hundreds of businesses at risk, TIA chief executive Chris Roberts said. 

“Safely reconnecting our families and communities is a social and economic necessity,” he said. 

Tourism businesses could operate safely at level two, Chris said. 

“Many tourism businesses will simply not be viable if stringent travel restrictions continue at level two,” he said. 

“The level two guidelines specifically allow for activities like bungee jumping and kayaking tours to resume, but there’s little point opening your business if you can only have locals as customers.” 

The author of a Change petition which has 4,796 signatures says tourism is the lifeblood of the Queenstown Lakes community, calling the possible reopening of flights a “lifeline” for the district. 

Hamish Walker said the economy is incredibly hard hit by COVID-19, but reopening the airport could make a difference.

“If we get some flight services returning back to Queenstown (especially at alert level two and below) it will result in some normality for people living in the region and also provide much needed stimulation for our wonderful businesses in town. This will mean fewer jobs will be lost. This will mean more bread and butter on the table for our workers and their children,” he said.

Chris said when the restrictions do loosen, he hopes people will take the opportunity to ‘see their own backyard’.

“The next few months will be an amazing opportunity for Kiwis to experience the best New Zealand has to offer – and have the satisfaction of knowing that you are helping to save the livelihoods of other Kiwis,” Chris said. 

PHOTO: Supplied