(TAN): While the Covid-19 pandemic has brought the travel industry to near closure, one place on the planet is busy dealing with too many tourists!
The remote Pacific Ocean archipelago of Chatham Islands near the international date line and technically part of New Zealand has become the easiest escape for the travel-starved Kiwis as international borders remain mostly closed and locals are advised not to travel overseas at this time, reported 7news.com.au.
The Chathams, about 800 km east of New Zealand’s South Island, get about 2,000 tourists in a typical year. The Chathams’ remoteness usually makes it a part of the country that New Zealanders are never too keen to get around.
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But this year, the pandemic has turned the table for the Chathams, whose two main populated islands are Chatham Island and Pitt Island. The remoteness of the islands has become an advantage, with Kiwis rushing to the islands as a way to feel like they’re on a far-off holiday without having to quarantine or take a Covid test.
With about 700 full-time residents, most of whom live on Chatham Island, the largest of the archipelago, the Chathams is usually not much preferred by young people looking for a cheap holiday, since “It’s a bit more expensive to get out here”, according to Jackie Gurden, the islands’ tourism manager.
But once the pandemic kept international borders closed, Tourism New Zealand had to shift from marketing their country to foreign tourists to encouraging domestic travel. That suddenly made the usually-sleepy Chathams a hot commodity, according to reports.
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Supply is however far from meeting demand. According to official estimates, there are 150 beds on the islands in a mix of hotels, lodges, guesthouses and local residences that list themselves on sites like Airbnb. Normally, the tourism season lasts from about November to March. But now, all on-island accommodation is booked through June 2021.
Gurden said to the media that the growth of tourism in the islands is necessary to create jobs for young people. However she is cautious about the “delicate ecosystem and small-town feel that makes the Chathams so special in the first place.”
The Chathams were the easternmost sliver of the Gondwanaland supercontinent, meaning it has a fascinating range of terrains, including basalt columns and volcanic cones. The islands are also home to some of the world’s rarest birds, and a large and adorable seal colony.
