While the opening of borders has brought on a collective sigh of relief for tourism providers across Queensland, for Mount Isa, it's a different story.
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With the city's peak tourist period over for another year, Outback at Isa general manager, Roland Schibig, said he is not expecting the border opening will boost traveller numbers whatsoever.
"Out here, it's as dead as a dodo," he said.
"It's way too hot. Even the locals go away over Christmas. It's the quietest time of the year for tourism, and it's not going to pick back up until April.
"The border opening is not going to affect us at all. And if there are a few people with caravans who travel here, you can count them on your hand.
"If the locals go away at this time, I think that's telling."
Queensland borders were opened to all fully vaccinated interstate travellers at 1am on Monday, December 13, after the state's double dose rate hit the 80 per cent milestone.
Despite not anticipating a rise in Mount Isa's numbers, Mr Schibig agreed there appear to be more travellers opting to 'explore their own backyard' before jetting off overseas.
"Last year, all of the businesses were closed until June. It wasn't too bad but there were no tourists. Obviously we didn't have any groups from NSW and Victoria, there was none of that," he said.
"A lot of people have bought caravans to tour Australia instead of going overseas. I think people feel safer exploring their own backyard before travelling internationally again.
"Give it another couple of weeks then you'll see lots of locals going away in caravans and boats to the East Coast."
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