The beaches along the New South Wales South Coast are normally filled with families enjoying a school holiday break, but that is not the case at the moment.

Key points:

  • South Coast tourism providers say they’re quieter than normal these school holidays

  • Floods and fuel prices have driven people to stay home

  • There’s concerns the cost of living will stop people going on holiday over summer

Industry leaders are blaming various contributing factors, including the return of international travel and recent severe weather event across south-east Australia.

“We survive on tourism down here and the advisories against travel between Newcastle and Batemans Bay due to the weather, that affects all of us, so we’re a bit soft on accommodation,” Batemans Bay Chamber of Commerce president David MacLachlan said.

“Normally we’d be all booked out or most of us booked out and we’re not at the moment.”

Mr MacLachlan said economic pressures on visitors had also contributed to the downturn.

“Consumer confidence isn’t as great as it was,” he said.

‘Feeling quieter’

Accommodation providers have also confirmed they have noticed more cancellations due to the recent weather.

Bay Breeze Boutique Motel owner Alison Miers said the holiday felter “quieter” across Batemans Bay.

Alison Miers and her husband Alan Imrie have noticed a drop in school holiday visitors.(Supplied: Alison Miers)

“Leading into June, it got a lot quieter and I think the snow season was very strong and also overseas travel opened up, so I think that contributed to us not being as busy,” she said.

Ms Miers also said the pandemic had changed people’s mindset on travel.

She said they were less likely to book spontaneously.

“Guests aren’t booking as far ahead and we’re not seeing the ones coming off the road as everyone’s planning their trips,” she said.

Worries for Christmas 

Tourism providers were also feeling the pinch further south in Eden.

Garden of Eden Holiday Park manager Lynette Carlson said the school holidays had been unnaturally slow.

“It’s normally quiet because a lot of people are going to the snow, but we normally have the grey nomads travelling,” she said.

“But because of the cost of fuel, a lot of them are staying at home.”

A woman standing in front of a Lynette Carlson is worried the cost of fuel is also discouraging people from travelling.(Supplied: Lynette Carlson)

She said the floods had also stopped people travelling up the coast from Victoria.

“They’re saying it’s all the way down the coast, but really, Eden hasn’t had a great deal of rain, but when they say it’s all the way down the coast, people think it’s wet here,” she said.

Ms Carlson said she was worried the escalating cost of living could impact the park’s busiest period over Christmas.

“I’m booked out for Christmas but I do worry if they’re still going to be able to come,” she said.

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Posted 1h ago1 hours agoThu 7 Jul 2022 at 8:47pm, updated 1h ago1 hours agoThu 7 Jul 2022 at 8:55pm

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