Gary Murray, managing director of Airside Logistics, says his business's diversity has saved its skin during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The group he manages has numerous tentacles including running airport services, Adels Grove, Mount Isa Coaches and travel business Hello World.
"Our industry sector, tourism and transport, is a broad one which has been impacted solidly but from our point of view diversification has been our saviour," Mr Murray said.
"Certain businesses in our portfolio have gone from 100 percent to nothing, but certain businesses have increased their uptake."
In particular the coaches side of the business is doing well.
"With our mining contracts and social distancing on coaches has doubled the business and in some cases tripled it," he said.
"That has been a challenge in itself, it's not as if you can just go out and purchase more coaches.
"Most decent coaches are for sale in Victoria and that's probably the last place you want to go to."
Mr Murray said most of his employees have been entitled to jobkeeper though most employees at Adels Grove tourist resort are not because they are seasonal casuals.
Adels remains closed as it is in the declared pandemic zone in Burke Shire Council.
"We were fortunate we had a lot of the casuals on their way there that we stopped, we had a few that arrived prior to the shutdown but we've kept them gainfully employed for board and keep," he said.
"We will open as soon as we can get special dispensation to operate within the (declared pandemic) zone or they withdraw the restriction, but honestly we don't know at the moment."
As for the airport, Mr Murray said the drop in scheduled passenger flights in Mount Isa which affects their check in and bagging handling business has been counteracted by a lot of charter flights by mining companies and government.
"Airside Logistics is still operating, there are no Virgin flights but Qantas operate Wednesday and Friday and Rex still have a full schedule every day, and there are a lot of charters," he said.
"We have no idea when Qantas will increase but I expect something will happen from around July 1, because the schedule in there until the end of June."
Similarly and perhaps surprisingly Hello World is still getting business from people who want to book holidays.
"We closed the shop for walk in but the guys are taking appointments and people are planning for post COVID holidays," he said.
"As for North West Tours we are putting a light schedule of tours in the system from June 12 (when Queensland stage 2 restrictions ease) so if we do get an influx of tourists we've got some kind of product that can entice them here and keep them here."
Mr Murray said next year they were expecting a huge tourism season with international borders still unlikely to be fully open.
While you are here subscribe to our twice weekly email to your inbox at every Tuesday and Friday