Businesses near Franz Josef and Fox glaciers have issued a plea for government support after a recent survey found widespread job losses and many people abandoning struggling communities.
Franz Josef is one of the areas hit hard by the border closure. File photo
Photo: RNZ / Conan Young
The new Covid-19 impact survey of 103 Glacier Country businesses found 16 had closed, roughly 62 percent of jobs have been lost, most are operating at 20 percent of their normal capacity on average and at least a quarter of the population have left.
The findings have been sent to Tourism Minister Stuart Nash along with a nearly $35 million wishlist to help the communities stay afloat.
Desperate businesses seek $35m in aid to stay afloat
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Desperate businesses seek $35m in aid to stay afloat
msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.