Youth hostel YHA Wellington should have been humming this time of year, but it currently has just 18 guests.
The Covid-19 pandemic has taken a massive toll on the tourism industry in New Zealand.
“We regularly had 250 people on site every day - fast forward 10 days from that point, and suddenly, we're left with 18 people,” YHA Wellington manager Chris Sperring said.
Backpackers Ric Catron and Sarah Kante are two of the 18 guests stuck in limbo, either hoping to ride the outbreak out, or unable to afford a flight home.
"Get a flight, that flight gets cancelled, another one gets cancelled. I thought, ‘I think that's it,’" Ms Kante said.
“I just recently retired. This is my big retirement trip,” Mr Catron added.
Now, visitors - from the US, Europe and Asia - are hunkering down together.
"Almost like a little family that we've created here, so it's quite nice, keep each other occupied,” Ms Kante said. "We do Taco Tuesdays and Friday night quizzes."
The guests even held a toga party to help pass the time.
While many hostels have closed their doors, the ones which have remained open have a range of guests, including people on working visas and tourists who were meant to be on holiday.
The Youth Hostel Association says it’s determined to keep housing tourists waiting for travel restrictions to lift.
"We're certainly nowhere near breaking even or making a profit, but this exercise isn't about that - it's about stopping the spread of Covid-19,” Mr Sperring said.
However, despite being stuck in the country, Ms Kante and Mr Catron say it could be worse.
“I've been in much worse situations than this,” Mr Catron said.
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