Queenstown Lakes Mayor Jim Boult says the border slamming shut has been "pretty tough" on local businesses. "We are struggling to track at the present time. I don't want to moan, we are where we are - but gee the timing is awful. We've been hanging out for the Aussie school holidays, and [now] the Aussies are locked at home," he told The AM Show on Monday morning. "I spoke to a couple of hoteliers yesterday, one described it as an avalanche of cancellations, another told me he'd lost $1 million in bookings over the last couple of months. "I think the problem here is not only the bookings now, but the longer-term bookings, where people are getting a bit nervous in case they get over here and then get locked down again."