KEY STAKEHOLDERS

Local Business

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When a visitor spends money on a ski field or in a local town like Ohakune or National Park, part of this revenue will be quickly turned into jobs and income within the enterprise (hotel, restaurant etc).

The winter revenue to local businesses is between $89.6m and $115.2m per year. We estimate this generates between 4,211 and 5,405 jobs.

 

To find out more about the impact of ski field operations to the region, click here to read about the: Mt Ruapehu Skifields Economic Impact

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Two core members of the Save Mt Ruapehu group, Sam Clarkson and Richard Neeson, have been local business owners for many decades and are acutely aware of the importance of the ski field operations to the local economy. Both have weathered the stormy waters of covid, the downturn in tourism and have felt the pain. However, they have learned tricks to pivot, rationalise and adapt as have many local business owners. They believe this is an opportunity to see RAL turned around and for it to come out stronger for what it has endured.

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They dearly wish RAL, in whatever form, to succeed now and into the future for the many thousands of sightseers, skiers, snowboarders, who find joy and happiness on our jewel that is Mt Ruapehu. The Save Mt Ruapehu group are liaising with the local Mayor, Mayors of other districts and MPs to canvas their views and understand what local businesses need.

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In a 2022 survey by Hutch Consulting regarding the value of RAL to the Ruapehu community. They asked business in the local district what would business look like without RAL. Interviewees saw this as a daunting scenario that did not bear thinking about.