Tasmanian tourism operator 'very excited' to welcome back Kiwis as travel bubble starts

As New Zealand closed itself off to the rest of the world last year, local tourism operators struggled to stay afloat and they weren’t alone. 

Without a steady influx international tourists, including the important New Zealand tourism market, Australia's tourism operators were hit hard.

Operating since 1987 McDermott's Coaches had been a real Tasmanian success story - that’s before the pandemic locked its foreign passengers out. 

The family business lost a whopping AUS$1.3 million from cancelled bookings when Australia shut down its borders last year. 

While the domestic market helped to keep them afloat, managing director Simon McDermott says they’re excited to welcome Kiwis back. 

“Not only us, all of our Tasmanian operators are just wonderful people. We’re not in opposition, we just want to make people feel welcome,” he told Breakfast.

Booking from Kiwis have already begun flooding in with the first New Zealand tour group booked for next month.

“I think our first tour is in May, we’ve got another that was booked at the end of the year and in the Spring time we’re looking at 10 to 15 booked. 

“It’s starting to fill fast, but more the merrier so get down here and we’ll be happy to have you.” 

McDermott’s Coaches’ operations have already crept up above pre-pandemic levels according to Simon McDermott, especially on their trips to Cradle Mountain. 

Now with the trans-Tasman travel bubble up and running he’s “very excited” to welcome back the international market to Tasmania.