Across January and February, sections of the Waioweka Gorge were closed for a total of 24 days.
Duncan said she had not been contacted by any government agencies besides Tourism Industry Aotearoa following the recent Cyclone Vaianu weather event.
“It’s heartbreaking to not be seen and for people not [to be] seen by even our regional tourism board.”
Duncan said “basic things” like potholes were making highways dangerous to drive on.
“In New Zealand, we drive on the left, and in Gisborne, we drive on what’s left.
“I don’t think tourism is [being] considered [by decision-makers] … whānau lose confidence in coming here because of the vulnerability of getting home again.”
In New Zealand we drive on the left and in Gisborne we drive on what’s left.
Cycle tour business owner Katrina Duncan
Chris Savage has been running Dive Tatapouri with husband Dean for 26 years. The business hosts close encounters with stingrays off Tatapouri Beach.
Business was significantly down compared to February and March last year, she said.
“We used to host the backpacker buses for a number of years … one of those contracts actually came to an end due to the road closure [State Highway 2] in the gorge.”
With 60% of customers being domestic tourists, the company was heavily reliant on highways being open.
In April, an Auckland group of eight pre-booked with Dive Tatapouri, but due to sporadic road closures the weekend before, the group cancelled its $400 booking.
Local business owner Chris Savage says unpredictable highway closures have resulted in potential tourists having ‘no confidence’ of being able to get into the region. Photo / Zoe Mills
Mounting uncertainty was making things hard, Savage said.
“You’re up one minute, down the next. It’s last minute, you can’t plan your staffing. There’s no confidence to get into the region … every time there’s rain, it’s ‘oh, we’ll close it’ [the highways].”
Doug Jones, chief executive of regional economic development agency Trust Tairāwhiti, said it was “critical” for Tairāwhiti that state highways were open and safe.
“These disruptions are affecting businesses right across the region,” he said. “We acknowledge the real pressure ongoing road closures are placing on their ability to operate and plan ahead.
“We have surveyed local businesses to understand the real impacts of ongoing closures and are using that data to push for support from central government and to prioritise reopening state highways as quickly as possible.”
Tairāwhiti tourism businesses are doing it hard as highway closures or the threat of it prevent or discourage people from travelling to the region. Photo / Zoe Mills
Tourism New Zealand chief executive Rene de Monchy told the Gisborne Herald: “We appreciate that road closures can be disruptive for tourism businesses in places like Gisborne.
“At the moment, we aren’t seeing any long-term impacts in international arrivals or spending because of this. We’ll keep working with the RTO [regional tourism operator] and will continue to include Gisborne in our marketing activity.”
As closures become more unpredictable, there’s concern for how other businesses reliant on tourism will survive.
Savage said Dive Tatapouri was financially prepared for more closures, but “others won’t be”.
“The [district] council and Trust Tairāwhiti … those that are meant to be out there advocating, we’re not hearing anything from them.”
Duncan wanted road repairs that endure in the long term, not “band-aid” fixes.
“It doesn’t need to be patched. It needs to be repaired.
“I don’t need to be heard. I don’t need to be considered. I just need the roads to be open. I need them to be fixed.”