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Walking access on to Franz Josef Glacier was banned in 2012. It is now only accessible by helicopter. Dire new projections for the region’s tourist sector have this week prompted local leaders to plead for government help. From March last year to September this year the region – including Franz Josef, Fox Glacier, Ōkarito, Whataroa, and Lake Moeraki – is projected to lose 84 per cent of its jobs, two-thirds of its businesses and 30 per cent of its population. One of the biggest drawcards for tourists on the West Coast was the ability to get up close to a glacier. Only a few years ago they could either take a short walk to the terminal faces or a guided walking tour directly on to the ice – options that are now impossible due to safety concerns amid melting ice. The glaciers are now only accessible by air, or viewable from a distance.
West Coast glacier towns plea for help as populations nosedive Newshub 9/01/2021
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There s concern for the future of two glacier towns on the South Island s West Coast.
Fox and Franz Josef have experienced a tough few years with washed-out bridges and roads.
Now the loss of international tourists has slashed the towns populations as longtime residents are forced to move out.
Stunning glaciers put Fox and Franz Josef on the must-do list for international tourists.
But with borders closed they ve become ghost towns. Trading at the Matheson Cafe in Fox Glacier is down by 90 percent. It means we re existing on reserves and borrowings. And really there is no margin for the businesses to survive, says owner Chris Alexander.