After a torrid 2020, accommodation providers were hoping 2021 would provide them with much smoother operating conditions.
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But after the Victorian government confirmed the state's seven-day circuit-breaker lockdown will not end at 11.59pm on Thursday as planned, accommodation providers are bracing for another big hit.
Ararat Motor Inn operator Michael Patel said the extension of the metro lockdown will be "painful" for his business.
"We were hoping the restrictions might end, say early next week," he said.
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"We were fully booked, and even last week we were getting calls asking for bookings.
"This is our fourth lockdown, and it is just painful to go through because every time the lockdown is announced, we get a lot of calls cancelling their bookings."
Mr Patel said more support needs to be provided to Victorian businesses who have affected by the lockdown.
"Whatever the government announced, the financial help is not enough, is nowhere near enough," he said.
"We are still having to pay for everything, the bills keep coming.
"This is a big dent, half of my revenue for the month is gone until June 15.
"So it is going to be a struggle. It is definitely not the news we were expecting, and we thought and extension might be coming but this is too much."
COVID-19 restrictions should ease in regional areas after 11.59pm on Thursday, but with many people from metro Melbourne expected to flock to western Victoria over the Queen's Birthday weekend, the changes rules have put the pressure back on accommodation businesses.
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Grampians Tourism chief executive Marc Sleeman said snap lockdowns might affect people's confidence when booking holiday's, but he also noted that the Grampians may actually benefit in the longer term.
"I think it's definitely going to make people more hesitant, but I think it's going to work in our favour," he said.
"I think it's going to get people thinking about travelling intrastate when they normally would have headed north for winter, so I think it might have a positive economic flow-on for our destination."
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