The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a significant decline in Penola and Coonawarra tourist numbers over the holiday season since it first took hold in 2020.
Wattle Range Council Director Development Services Emma Clay said they had noticed a downturn in visitors at the Penola Coonawarra Visitor Information Centre this Christmas and New Year.
“We believe there was, and still is, hesitancy to travel under the current pandemic conditions and that a lack of international visitors is having a huge impact,” Ms Clay said.
“We also need to keep in mind that not all visitors will come to the Information Centre and there is a general trend towards visitors accessing information online.
“However, what we have experienced post-COVID is certainly well beyond that.”
Penola Visitor Centre numbers for December 26 to January 2 pre-COVID in 2019 were 871, which dropped to 488 in 2020 and declined further to 279 in 2021.
Riddoch Business and Community Association president Nicole Reschke said tourism was dramatically down in the region, with many people at home isolating and doing the right thing.
“Lots of local businesses have been severely impacted by the lack of tourists being able to move around in the region,” she said.
“This is normally our busy time where we relish in the visitors and the economic development is there, but unfortunately not this year to the extent that we were hoping.”
Ms Reschke said businesses were facing major challenges such as capacity restrictions and staff shortages due to team members isolating.
She said it was a time for community spirit and kindness.
“It’s a really challenging time for everybody,” she said.
“I think everybody has just got to show kindness to businesses and to the staff that are on the frontline.”
Ms Reschke emphasised the importance of supporting local businesses and hoped this would be everyone’s first instinct in the coming months as the circumstances hopefully started to ease.
“We have just really got to support each other, support our local businesses and shop local when we can,” she said.
“Every dollar they spend in their own community will help benefit a lot of people and help us move forward as a region.”
