Despite many in the state expecting a boom in tourism now borders are open, Andrew Brown, co-owner of the Launceston Travel and Cruise Centre, thinks an industry-wide recovery is still a little way off.
"We're not really seeing an uptick yet and that's right across the network and speaking to other agencies," he said.
While Mr Brown - who's father started the agency in Launceston back in the 1980s - does believe the industry will ultimately recover back to its pre-pandemic levels, the lead up to borders reopening doesn't appear to have sparked much of an increase in Tasmanians seeking international or domestic travel.
"Locally and interstate we're still seeing a lot of hesitation," he said.
When speaking to the community, Mr Brown has said people are taking a wait-and-see approach to borders re-opening this week.
"We've been quite insular and at the moment I think people are still happy in their bubble," he said.
That leaves Mr Brown, like the entire travel and tourism industry nationwide, to keep biding his time until a recovery in earnest begins.
Data from a recent federal report estimates pandemic-related tourism losses between March 2020 and June 2021 at $101.7 billion.
That same report is expecting the domestic visitor economy to return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of the 2023-24 financial period - potentially still a long way off for an industry that's already been holding its breath for two years.
Having the entire tourism economy grind to a halt, presented some difficult decisions for Mr Brown, who runs the store with his brother Baden.
"We had three lovely staff we had to let go once JobKeeper dropped off - there just wasn't enough demand," Andrew said.
Despite a slower-than-expected uptake for flights by Tasmanians, Mr Brown remains confident that the agency will continue serving the city's globetrotters.
"We've seen it all - pilot strikes, volcanoes, everything. We'll get through this - it'll just take a bit of time," he said.
And when that time comes, agents could be in greater demand than ever, as travellers seek to understand a new world of snap quarantine restrictions and ever-changing border-to-border regulations.
"Every border is different now. That's another string to our bow as agents now for future travellers, being able to untangle the various dos and don'ts out there," he said.
"You might save 50 bucks online but you don't have that support. It's bringing people back to bricks-and-mortar agencies like ours."
What do you think? Send us a letter to the editor:
Joshua Peach
Got a story tip? Email me on joshua.peach@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Got a story tip? Email me on joshua.peach@austcommunitymedia.com.au
