PRESIDENT’S UPDATE
THA PRESIDENT PAUL JUBB
CHRISTMAS is nearly upon us and an early present has arrived for the industry with Tasmania’s borders opening just in time for the festive season. To say the past two years have been among the toughest we have all experienced is a huge understatement and our hopes are once the state is fully open fromDecember 15, it remains that way and we avoid further lockdowns and restrictions which have crippled our operators. There will no doubt be some teething problems along the journey, especially in the early stages, as businesses strive to return to full operational capacity from pre Covid times. But I have absolutely no doubt the resilience shown throughout this testing period holds us in good stead to bounce back and again thrive, proving why the hospitality sector in this state is so widely regarded. The signs are already there, with the fact that more than 2300 bookings for the Spirit of Tasmania were made in one afternoon immediately after the premier announced our borders were reopening highlighting how eager visitors from Victoria and NSW are to return to our island. That momentum has not slowed and hearing accommodation and restaurants are taking bookings well into January and February is extremely pleasing.
I’d like to also take the opportunity to thank Steve Old and his team for the mountain of work they have done throughout 2021. The pandemic has thrown curveball after curveball at our industry and THA staff have been the ones at the coalface who have been there to provide the assistance and care. Many issues have been far from straightforward but the tireless work from everyone has played a major role in helping businesses remain viable. To the rest of our board members, thank you for your support during the year. There have been plenty of robust discussions but the one glaring positive is the united front when it comes to hospitality. I respect everything the Tasmanian Government has done to keep us all safe but we always have, and always will, stand up for our industry. That often means lobbying hard against certain measures and I think our politicians certainly have a good understanding of just how difficult this period has been and why we are so passionate. Finally thank you to everyone who contributes to the Hospitality Review. Our aim is to make the magazine both informative and interesting, highlighting not only the important issues and news but also all the wonderful events, people, establishments and places that make up this wonderful industry. I wish you all a safe, happy and prosperous festive season as we look to bounce back in 2022 bigger and better than ever.
Hospitality Review: December 2021 5
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