BUSINESSES in Bright and surrounds who rely on tourism breathed a sigh of relief over the Christmas/New Year period as visitation numbers returned to pre–COVID levels, according to Marcus Warner from the Bright Chamber of Commerce.
"It's been a very buoyant month with bookings very similar to pre–COVID levels so it looks like we're heading back to normality," Mr Warner said.
"Everything is definitely up by a considerable margin.
"It was quiet leading into Christmas but has been consistent since then."
Mr Warner said traffic had slowed down slightly as it normally does mid–January but he expected another lift leading into the Australia Day weekend as families take their last opportunity get away before the school year begins.
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Businesses had felt the impact of the closure to Falls Creek and last year's Victorian flooding events with numerous booking cancellations, according to Mr Warner, but a rise in enquiries from Australians looking to holiday locally rather than overseas as well as a rise in visitors from south–east Asia had made up for it.
"I think many Australians are feeling the cost–of–living pressures so some who might usually head to Japan over Christmas for the snow skiing have looked to here for a summer holiday," he said.
"We have also seen more visitors from Singapore and Malaysia over the last 3–4 weeks and more recently from China."
Unfortunately, with the increased activity the usual problems returned including lagging internet and mobile phone coverage as well as the post–COVID labour shortage.
"When the Telstra and OPTUS mobile towers get busy it affects the EFTPOS machines which is frustrating as most people have moved away from cash," Mr Warner said.
"All the chambers in the alpine region met prior to Christmas to discuss how everything was going and we thought, after getting through the bushfires and then COVID, things were looking up but since then we have the labour shortage.
"We know of people who have been in business for 40 or 50 years who now find themselves on the shop floor and having to work harder than they have ever done simply because we can't get the staff."
Bright caravan park manager Jessie Brewster said their park was nearly full, which is normal for this time of year, and only last–minute cancellations had left sites free.
"We're generally busy in January and this year is no different," she said.
"It's only due to late last minute cancellations that we've got these gaps."
Ms Brewster said their park is busy throughout the year, attributing that to its location near the town and the Ovens River.
"We're pretty lucky that we are so close to town," she said.
"I think people come to us probably due to that fact."
Ms Brewster estimated around 75 per cent of their customers are from Melbourne.
