WHILE IT'S ALWAYS ENCOURAGING TO BE ASKED TO COMMENT ON THE "STATE OF PLAY" FOR OUR INDUSTRY, THERE'S NO REAL END IN SIGHT FOR MANY TOUR COACH OPERATORS...
Check out this link for the most recent piece by Amanda Cropp for STUFF.
Below is an exert from her story:
"Leopard Coachlines marks its 50th anniversary this year but owner Brent Early says there is not much to celebrate. “It has turned into hanging on for grim death.”
His 60 coaches did contract tours for inbound tour operators and he has laid off 115 staff, some of whom had been with him for 25 years.
New 5-star coaches cost $600,000 and Early says they need to be on the road 250 days a year to make it a viable business. “We have had zero income since March.”
For all the gloom, Early has confidence that, far from being a “sunset” business, luxury coach tours will once again be the glue that holds much of the tourism industry together.
“There is a large group of people that want to be taken care of and don’t want the stress of driving, and they like being part of a group because it is quite social, and they meet new friends.”
While we do everything we can to "hold on", we are also immensely grateful to the many Kiwi clients and customers that continue to make bookings for day-trips and extended excursions.