Tekapo - a tourist town on the front line

A fixed-wing plane lands at the Air Safaris' aerodrome at Tekapo with six paying passengers on board. They have just completed the tourist airline's Grand Traverse, one of Air Safaris' most popular products. At this time of year the operation would normally be flying 12 times a day with full planes but these aren't normal times. ...

March was normally still busy with an influx of European tourists and the business would be looking forward to Easter. The springs employ about 50 people and Koberstein says they are following new cleaning protocols but are worried about recently arrived tourists who have not self isolated. ...

At Tekapo Springs, custom is down and several pools have only one occupant. General manager Jenny Koberstein says the pools were going fine until two days ago when a drop in numbers became noticeable.

This week with business almost down to nothing due to international anti-coronavirus measures, the just-landed flight is probably it for the day. Air Safaris gets 95 per cent of its trade from overseas visitors and those visitors have gone.

Tekapo Springs general manager Jenny Koberstein, left, and sales and marketing manager, Andy Murray, are preparing for many different scenarios.

Thousands visit Tekapo in first week of holidays
Alice Geary July 9, 2020

Tekapo has been buzzing in the first week of the school holidays as the Dark Sky Project reopens and thousands flock to the hot springs and ice rink.

Tekapo Springs sales and marketing manager Andy Murray said the springs have seen in excess of 1000 customers per day since Saturday.

“We had a very strong June, we were probably just behind last year by about 5 per cent, so considering [Covid-19] that’s actually a really positive result for us,” he said.