By Mitchell Clarke
The regions are open for business again but a struggling Pakenham tour company can’t operate due to restrictions banning some bus tours – despite public transport services running as normal.
While many tourist attractions are back up and running again, various tour operators like Tour Local can’t reopen just yet.
According to current State Government restrictions, larger tour transport vehicles can operate with up to 10 people, provided social distancing is maintained – but there’s been widespread confusion about one crucial rule.
Tour operators aren’t able to travel more than 30 minutes in a vehicle to get to their destination and they’re also only meant to operate as a shuttle bus to a “primary tourist attraction”, meaning they can’t travel to various locations as part of a tour.
Tour Local founder Joanne Staindl said the inconsistencies were “just heartbreaking”.
“We’re extremely disappointed with the inconsistency, especially that public transport has, for a considerable amount of time, been able to operate with no contact tracing, yet we can’t operate with full contact details and heightened safety measures in place,” she said.
“Why is it considered essential that someone can catch a train to a shuttle bus, which will take them to their attraction, but it’s non-essential for us to take them to that attraction as part of a tour.
“Not everyone can drive and travel alone. They should let us do what we do best. There’s no one ensuring safety when you get on a bus, tram or train, but with us you can guarantee a strict Covid safe plan.”
The Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) have been working with the relevant department’s in a bid to achieve greater flexibility for tour and travel operators.
VTIC spokeswoman Felicia Mariani said the main concerns from a government perspective appeared to be around people being seated in enclosed spaces for long periods.
“If the operator’s experience is all about loading people onto a bus for three to four hours at a time, that’s going to be problematic,” she explained.
“We do recognise that these rules that tour and transport operators are being asked to adhere to are incredibly prohibitive as to what they can do as an industry.”
Ms Mariani added it could be sometime until small operators like Tour Local could properly operate in a Covid-safe capacity.
“It may mean over the period of the next four weeks that we might have to get creative with itineraries. I know that’s not an easy thing to do, but it might be the difference between being able to operate and not operate until such a time where we can get a better result,” she said.
The issue was raised in Parliament by Liberal Eastern Victoria MP Edward O’Donohue, who called on Industry Support and Recovery Minister Martin Pakula to “give consideration” to tour operators like Ms Staindl.
“Of course we are coming into a period when it is a very busy time for tour operators. In December people will be looking to do activities like this. The Premier himself is encouraging Victorians to make plans to get out and see Victoria rather than spending money in other states,” he said.
Mr O’Donohue said he hoped Mr Pakula would give consideration to Ms Staindl’s concerns and review the timeline for tour operators to operate again.
A State Government spokesperson said: “It is anticipated that a further state-wide easing of restrictions will be announced later this month, pending public health advice.”
But Ms Staindl and her son Raymond, who co-operates the business, just want to get back on the road again.
“At this rate people from New South Wales will be coming here before we can operate our tours again,” she said.
“Our local tourism industry is struggling because international travellers aren’t able to come here, so why isn’t the government doing everything reasonably possible to get domestic travellers back on the road.
“We are taking small groups of people into mum and dad businesses and giving them a cash injection. We get in with ten people and we get out having spent money.
“We plan our tours to inject money into small towns. We eat there, we shop there and we fuel there. It’s critically important and it’s good for the local economy.”
But most importantly, Ms Staindl said the most upsetting thing was not being able to provide a service to her clients, many of whom are elderly or socially isolated.
“Our clients need to be engaged again in a social way. It’s a basic human thing to want and need to interact with others,” she said.
“We know the benefit of travel to our clients. That is what is upsetting. We know our clients not only want, but need to travel again.”
