SWAN Hill is still open for business.
That is the message that local businesses want to get out to the wider community despite growing concerns about flooding.
Swan Hill Incorporated marketing co-ordinator Tameeka Hankin believes it is important to take into consideration the language that is used to describe what is happening at the moment to not incite panic, both for locals and for tourists who might be looking at coming to Swan Hill.
“We really just want to get the message out there that we’re at high water levels, we are not at flood,” Ms Hankin told The Guardian.
“It was brought up at the town meeting that the word ‘flood’ just creates panic and people steer clear, whereas we’re just experiencing high water levels.
“The impact hasn’t got here, so while people can still get here and we are still open we want them to come – I think that if we can get the message out there, people will come.”
Accommodation businesses in town took a hit last week with the cancellation of the junior basketball tournament that was set to be held at the Swan Hill Basketball Stadium.
Other businesses had also commented the past couple of weeks have been a bit quieter than usual.
“I think last week when there was still so much ‘flood’ talk, it was very quiet, a couple of business said it was a bit like a ghost town,” Ms Hankin said.
“It had this eerie effect when Kerang was all going to be closed off for two weeks but then the rain didn’t come when it was going to so it got delayed a bit more.”
But despite that, market day, which was held last Saturday, was very well supported by the community.
“Just talking to the local businesses down the street, they said it was the most successful market day and they were just so thankful that we stuck to our guns and we kept it going, because it gave them a bit of a boost during this quiet time,” Ms Hankin said.
“Even businesses that weren’t in the market area, they noticed that there were more people in town.
“We do rely on that tourism economy, but we can just keep with the (message for) locals to shop local and support local, and just keep putting it out there that Swan Hill is still open for business.”
