Tourists urged to keep visiting coastal hamlets

PORT Campbell was among the many Surf Coast communities to receive a much-needed tourism boost over the New Year period.

From Boxing day to last week, the town enjoyed an influx of visitors who brought with them plenty of hope for small businesses after a quiet year.

Mark Cuthell, co-ordinator at Port Campbell Visitor Information Centre, said the impact on the local tourism industry was felt immediately.

Port Campbell is home to the 12 Apostles which attracts an estimated two million visitors a year pre-pandemic.

In December 2019, Parks Victoria reported 260,000 people visited the tourist attraction during that month alone.

“The impact on the tourism industry was immediate, significant and amplified off the back of a downturn associated with 2019-2020 bushfires,” Mr Cuthell said.

Mr Cuthell said small towns with a population of less than 500 people were amongst the worst hit.

“Small towns like Port Campbell where hit hardest with reduced wages in the tourism sector compounding zero visitor input to a town with a high proportion of service businesses,” he said.

With restrictions easing and summer holidays in full swing, the town received temporary relief from the economic pressures.

“For the first time in 12 months things are at close to 100 per cent occupancy through to early January,” he said.

Unlike other popular hotspots such as Lorne which have full occupancy up until February, small businesses in Port Campbell face a quiet late January.

“Our real concern is the second half of January when bookings drop off considerably,” Mr Cuthell said.

“Without a strong late summer and autumn result many businesses will be under significant pressure and faced with predicted scaling back of JobKeeper support.”

Despite an increase in domestic visitors, the lack of international travellers leaves a hole in the state’s tourism economy.

According to Victorian Tourism Statistics, international visitors spent an estimated $6.7 billion during trips to Victoria in the year ending June 2020.

The figure takes into account a 21 per cent decrease as fires and global pandemic began to set in.

Heather Nicholls, owner of 12 Apostles Food Artisans, said without international visitors the boom will not last.

“We are only getting Victorian tourists and, of course, school goes back and parents return to work,” she said.

“Everything has been busier but I do think come February that it will drop off and hopefully businesses will be able to hold tight and get by,” she said.

Ms Nicholls, like many locals, is choosing to enjoy the positivity felt across the town as they continue to host tourists from all across the state.