Today’s Solomon Star tells the story of how Ms Kei Tanneberger is struggling to keep her Serah’s Lagoon Hideaway afloat in the absence of tourists due to the global Covid pandemic.
I can image many tourist operators and business owners in the Solomon Islands are very much in the same position.
As Qantas has announced it will not consider resuming its international air services till late December this year, and even those plan could still be further cut back, and the Australian government said last week its air borders will remain closed till late in 2022, I quess tourist operators and business owners at home are really worried, especially as most tourists to the SI usually came from Australia.
Much the same is said to be happening in New Zealand where oneAuckland souvenir shop owner has called for the NZ government to learn from Australia and offer rental support to struggling businesses.
The shop owner said, "Since the first lockdown, we have no international tourists but we're still paying the highest rental in New Zealand," he said.
He has said the government should give landlords a special fund to provide rent relief in proportion to their tenant's downturn in turnover, as the Victoria government is offering.
He also said landlords should be supported with reduced tax by increasing depreciation, delayed or extended bank interest payment and tax relief.
Sources: Solomon Star News and Radio New Zealand.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
