The summer season has been full of uncertainties and the odd surprise according to those relying on Merimbula’s tourism industry for their living.
At the Merimbula Newsagents, Darryl Hay said: “The overall feeling was negative. The first two weeks of the holiday over Christmas and the New Year, sales of the Melbourne papers were down. People weren’t on the footpath. They just got the basics and went. From the second week onwards (around January 9) it was more like normal.”
But there was good news as well. Mr Hay said: “The surprise package was the long weekend from Wednesday, January 25 through to Tuesday, January 31, it was better than expected. Now whether that was because people decided to take a few extra days around Australia Day I don’t know.”
At Albacore Apartments, Merimbula, Clint Burgess was experiencing his first summer season after having taken over the business in July.
He said that based on the figures he had for last year, business had improved and was more in line with the previous year 2009-2010.
Mr Burgess said: “Christmas and New Year was booked from August/September time but it was very quiet over October and November (with enquiries).”
He said that the apartments had been booked out until around January 9 when it quietened down and then started picking up again leading up to Australia Day.
“It looked quiet but we’re booked out tonight,” Mr Burgess said speaking to the News Weekly on Monday, February 6. “We’ve had people come in wanting a week’s accommodation. People are leaving it to the last minute to book, maybe they’re waiting to see what the weather is like.”
With the floods in Queensland and northern NSW there is also the possibility that like last year, holiday makers without school-age children who have more freedom to choose when they take their holidays, may be tempted to come south.
David Torpey who manages Aquarius, Merimbula said that bookings had dropped off half-way through January with forward bookings very slow.
“From the second week in January it was difficult, nothing like previous years.”
He said that trends had changed with holiday destinations in Queensland being heavily discounted and Merimbula discounting at the end of January.
Mr Torpey said: “It’s steady at the moment but January bookings were hard.”
He said that people were moving away from the traditional one or two week breaks and taking long weekends or five day breaks.
At the pubs and clubs there was a feeling that overall it wasn’t too bad but in order to sustain the numbers managers had to be innovative with entertainment and really work at their marketing.
Licensee manager at the Lakeview Hotel, Lesley Mutsch, said: “On the whole we were quite happy with the season but we had to work harder and be more active in our marketing.”
The good weather that Merimbula enjoyed over the holiday season kept people on the beach, Mrs Mutsch said.
Secretary manager at the Merimbula RSL Club, Michael Mutsch agreed and said: “The good weather meant that people were on the beach more but then it all helps to ensure they return next year.”
Mr Mutsch said that numbers and bar takings were down a little from last year at the Merimbula RSL Club but that numbers of families in the dining area had been good.
At Club Sapphire Merimbula, CEO, Damien Foley said: “It’s been a good season and the best measure of that is our food and beverages which were up eight per cent on last year.”
Mr Foley said the growth was driven by the entertainments program which included five sell-out shows in three weeks and also by the barefoot bowls program which brought a lot of new people into the club and helped build the atmosphere.
“Early January wasn’t strong but the season seemed to last longer. The figures indicate sales were strong two thirds of the way through January compared to last year. It was a good overall season with tourists hanging on a little more this year,” Mr Foley said.
But the news wasn’t as rosy for those in retail. Leanne Swingler at Ameldas Shoes said that numbers were down on last year with not as much foot traffic.
People were not spending as much as last year, she said, something that has been reflected in the general retail figures for Australia. Retail sales in Australia posted their weakest annual growth in 27 years in 2011, as consumers cut spending in favour of saving and paying down debt.
According to figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, annual retail sales grew 2.4 per cent in 2011 down from 2.5 per cent in 2010.
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