The South Island town relies on international visitors during the peak summer months. “We’re just not getting the numbers here,” Gibson said. “As a visitor from Winton said just prior to Christmas ... ‘Is it usually like this here?’ And I said ‘Quiet?’ And she said, ‘That’s an understatement – this is apocalyptic.’ TRAVEL The 20-minute flight around Franz Josef Glacier is breathtaking. “Recently, we surveyed the village and the results of the survey were fairly dire, with businesses who responded showing they are 81 [per cent] to 90 per cent reduced in their turnovers. “Eight out of those 10 businesses surveyed said they couldn’t trade beyond February [to] March of this year, such is the state of it. That would see another 100 jobs lost in the village ... It’s quite a significant impact.”