New England Travel has closed its Glen Innes branch as travel restrictions have a massive impact on the industry.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Despite the successful past 12 months, after opening its Glen Innes branch in 2018, the impact of coronavirus was too much to maintain the second New England premises.
The decision to close the branch was made made in the past month, and Craig Ritchie, Director of the Armidale based New England Travel Centre, said the Glen Innes closure could last for more than a year.
READ ALSO:
"We are budgeting on the store being closed 12 months before we start to see any sort of reasonable travel happening again," he said.
Prior to the impact of the coronavirus Mr Ritchie said they were pleased with the business.
"Business was looking really good we were very happy with the operation until we got to the stage of no international flights and hardly any domestic."
"It is with regret that we close the Glen Innes office, the business has had a very successful first 12 months," he said.
Mr Ritchie said after it became clear that the virus was not a short term issue, a plan began for closing the office.
"Initially we wanted to hold out till the virus improved," he said.
"Under the current circumstances the viability is no there, we were unfortunately left with no choice.
"We hope people understand with zero travel happening that the viability was just not there to keep paying rent for the office," he said.
International travel restrictions were introduced earlier in the year as the virus spread, and some state borders have also been closed.
Mr Ritchie said their Armidale office would remain open, and they were hopeful that Glen Innes would reopen.
"Once we get to a stage where people are confident enough to travel again we will certainly be looking to go back to Glen Innes.
"Prior to the pandemic we had been very pleased with the support shown to us as a new business in town."