By Luke Voogt
At least $280 million in tourism revenue has been lost in Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula since the COVID-19 pandemic hit Victoria.
In just four months, more than a quarter of the region’s annual $1.1 billion tourism dollars has been wiped out, according to Tourism Greater Geelong and the Bellarine executive director Brett Ince.
“If you imagine what the Melbourne lockdown is doing to the economy in the region now, it would be [even] higher,” he said.
Recent data shows Geelong accommodation and food services have lost a combined $127 million for the June quarter alone.
About 60 per cent of the sector’s employees have either lost work or are reliant on JobKeepeer.
According to the data, the pandemic has cost an estimated 2190 of 7500 full-time equivalent jobs in the sector locally, with 2300 people losing their jobs.
The region was “definitely” set to lose more than half its tourism revenue this year based on estimated forward figures for a range of scenarios, Mr Ince said.
Of Geelong’s average 6.4 million visitors each year, 4.4 million were domestic day-trippers, 1.6 million were overnight domestic visitors and 400,000 were international visitors, he explained.
Of the overnight domestic visitors, who stay 2.5 nights on average and contribute significantly to overall revenue, 53 per cent were from Melbourne, which is now in lockdown.
Another 17 per cent were from interstate, meaning only the remaining 30 per cent from regional Victoria could still visit Geelong, he said.
“When you add those figures, that’s why you’re seeing that downturn,” Mr Ince said.
“We hope as we move to recovery in the future that Melburnians consider a short break in the Geelong and the Bellarine to recharge – when the time is right.”
Local municipal alliance G21 last week described the looming cessation of the JobKeeper allowance in September, combined with current circumstances, as the “perfect storm” for Geelong’s visitor economy.
Mr Ince said he “wholeheartedly” hoped for federal government wage relief to continue for the tourism sector, regional Victoria and Melbourne.
“We understand that the federal government will provide an update on wage relief and other support measures late next week.”
He also welcomed state government measures, such as its $40 million Regional Tourism Support Program, to support businesses impacted by cancellations.
