Forecast by Inbound Operators indicate further cancellations to come!

What do you do when your surgeon has a crisis of faith and can’t operate anymore and you are losing blood?

Do you:
a) Google an online doctor and hope you can follow their instructions?
b) Hope the intern who thinks they know what to do, because they’ve watched the surgeon do it, ‘can actually do it?’
c) Ask the psychologist to assess the situation and recommend someone else? OR
d) Reassure the surgeon that he is the best person for the job. Tell him you need and value him and ask, what you can do to help?

The tourism industry is haemorrhaging and it’s important the cause of the bleed does not over-ride other symptoms and lead to additional leakage that could impact on what we do with long-term recovery. In the above analogy, the surgeon is the inbound wholesaler, the internet is the online doctor, the psychologist is supportive national tourism bodies and the intern is other agencies who think they know what to do but are not in a position to do anything. Our industry is experiencing unprecedented loss and it is imperative the right messages and relevant assistance is implemented by talking with inbound wholesalers.

During the week after the Christchurch earthquake, full ITOC members were asked to estimate their cancellation of business loss. They estimated a loss of 12,000 bed nights. By 18 March there was a reported cancellation loss of 32,000 bed nights. This number is forecast to rise. Japan and Asia are the most affected markets but UK, USA and Europe are also currently uncertain.

The number of cancellations is difficult to gauge because the international safety message has been unclear to trade and agents. The uncertainty of available hotel accommodation now, and in future months, also concerns offshore wholesalers considering committing to New Zealand as a destination. Offshore wholesalers need to hear that “New Zealand is OPEN FOR BUSINESS!” Inbound wholesalers will be the first port of call in the distribution line that off-shore agents and wholesalers will come to. The online doctors and interns have their place in the supply chain, but nothing beats having a person who knows when you are coming, where you are going and your general wellbeing more than the inbound operator.

I’d like to share what it means to have a family member book their holiday with an ITOC inbound operator. One of our members had 1000 customers in Christchurch during the first few days of the earthquake. After a few days the member had to report to Red Cross that “51” were missing. Can you imagine the sinking feeling you would have as the owner or CEO of that company in reporting to Red Cross missing people and also having to communicate with overseas family members? The staff of that company worked tirelessly over the next few weeks with more than 1200 hours of overtime (700 unpaid) – searching high and low and after two weeks they were able to take everyone reported missing ‘off’ the Red Cross list. What a huge achievement and illustrates the enormous responsibility inbound operators have when people entrust their lives into our care. This is not an isolated or special case, it’s just what we do when we need to do it. Inbound wholesalers know what to do on the ground and that is one of the many benefits booking travel with a wholesaler provides. We are constantly faced with a crisis of some description – whether it be road closures, flooding, snow, clients unwell or urgently needing to get home, accidents and earthquakes.

Back to the surgeon and the bleeding. When things are dire everyone wants the surgeon to be confident and work his magic, with his team and other specialists doing all they can to help. He is after all, taking the biggest risk with each decision he makes. Our inbound tour operators take the largest personal financial risk in bringing visitors to our country. They get little recognition from the country, the government and some sectors of our industry which is ironic considering the tourism industry is the number one export industry for our country. Let’s give them the support and respect they deserve. Keep talking with them to check future health progress.

Full and allied members of ITOC thank you in advance and good health to you all!