The Mackenzie District mayor is standing by a social media post urging visitors to reconsider visiting Tekapo over the long and snowy Matariki weekend.
By Claire Taylor of Local Democracy Reporting
Visitors flocked to Tekapo during heavy snowfall last week, as authorities grappled with road closures, road crashes and convoys to get people safely in and out of the town.
On Friday, Mackenzie District mayor Scott Aronsen issued a message via social media asking people to reconsider travelling to Tekapo over the long weekend.
"Tekapo is an absolute cluster of cars, people, no car parks and snow. Please consider not visiting today if you're thinking about it because it's bursting at the seams," he said.
The post received a mixed response, with many questioning why a tourist town would discourage visitors.
"Tourists are your bread and butter … imagine being annoyed by that in a tourist town," one anonymous user commented.
"I'm sure the businesses are enjoying the increased patronage. Don't like it, go fishing," another said.
Others defended the mayor's post, with one user saying Aronsen had asked visitors to be considerate, not stay away.
But this week, Aronsen stood by his post, saying he was "fully aware" of the pressure Tekapo was facing last weekend and wanted to ease the burden.
The "weekend was exceptional" and the social media post made no difference, he said.
He said the council would now focus on snow clearance and short-term accommodation maintenance, claiming Airbnb owners were not clearing snow which was leading to issues.
"Property owners need to take responsibility."
Snow build-up along roads left "not enough room" for vehicles to drive, he said.
The Mackenzie District Council also issued a statement ahead of the long weekend on Friday, warning of wintry conditions and limited availability of accommodation.
It said limited accommodation in Tekapo meant visitors had already been caught out by the weather with nowhere to stay.
"Earlier this week, several visitors turned to local community social media pages struggling to find last-minute accommodation," it said.
The council also urged people to drive with a full tank, a phone charger, an emergency kit, and snow chains.
One motorist who came across a number of crashes on State Highway 8 on Sunday said they had given him a renewed focus on his own driving.
Stehann le Roux, a South Canterbury hunter, saw six vehicles crashed on SH 8 within just half an hour.
"I didn't expect to see any incidents, so I was quite surprised when we came across the caravan and not too far down the road, the potato van was tipped over."
– Local Democracy Reporting is local-body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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