Portage Resort has been dealing with falling visitor numbers and cancellations as the team grapples with getting visitors through road closures. Photo: Supplied
A Marlborough Sounds tourism operator is "extremely distressed" by restricted access road closures, leaving them cut off from customers at the start of the peak summer season.
Capstone Hotel Management managing director Clare Davies said Portage Resort had faced cancellations and declining visitor numbers as staff juggled a schedule of access restrictions.
Staff had been spending considerable time and effort to ensure guests could walk through the door, Davies said.
"The team are extremely distressed by the continued road closures and deeply disappointed that this level of disruptive work was not completed during late winter or early spring," Davies said.
Marlborough Roads was doing extensive road works along Kenepuru Road and Torea Road for phase three, the final phase, of the multimillion-dollar Marlborough Sounds Roads Recovery project.
The roads were significantly damaged by major weather events in July 2021, February 2022, and August 2022, which caused more than 5600 faults in Marlborough's roading network.
Most of the key tourist route between Mahau Sound and Portage had restricted road access in the lead up to Christmas.
Kenepuru Road was open from 19 December as works were paused over the Christmas period, before resuming from 12 January under stop/go controls that could cause delays of up to 15 minutes.
Restricted access would return from 9 February and continue throughout 2026.
Before and after photos of work on Kenepuru Road at Portage Heights. Photo: Supplied
Davies said Portage Resort had a clear decline in booking inquires and visitor confidence due to limited road access.
"Many guests, particularly international travellers, do not have flexibility in their itineraries," she said.
"When they discover, often at short notice, that they cannot reach us due to a road closure or restricted travel window, they simply cancel altogether."
Davies said this was "especially disheartening" as the resort had invested heavily in lifting its international profile.
Businesses and residents in the area relied heavily on consistent transport links during peak tourist season, Davies said.
"Summer is when the Marlborough Sounds relies on tourism to sustain its economy. For a resort like ours, a single peak season can determine the financial viability of the entire year.
"Having major transport restrictions during this crucial period creates uncertainty for visitors and operational hardship for businesses trying to deliver consistent service."
While she understood the need for long-term infrastructure repairs, Davies said she wished the council had consulted the Sounds community.
"We strongly hope that communication, planning, and scheduling of future works will more carefully consider the needs of residents, visitors, and tourism operators who depend on safe, reliable access."
Marlborough Roads transport recovery manager Steve Murrin said the extent of repairs needed could not be done without the complete closure of the road.
"The majority of the Kenepuru Road is under 6m wide. When heavy machinery is working on the road there is no room for traffic to get past, and to move these machines out of the way takes considerable time and slows the project down," Murrin said.
"[Road closure] is regrettable but unavoidable if the repairs are to be done."
Murrin said the dry summer months were the most favourable conditions for these kinds of works.
"There are several major earthwork jobs under way that can only be undertaken when soil moisture levels are suitable," he said.
"Longer hours of daylight also allow for longer working days. Road pavement and sealing works can also only be undertaken during the warm and dry months."
But some works, such as building retaining walls and installing culverts, were done during winter, he said.
Murrin said the programme of works was designed to cause the most access and least disruption possible, and to complete the works as fast as they could.
Marlborough Roads had conducted several community meetings to keep residents informed on the schedule of works, Murrin said. The work schedule was slightly altered after feedback from residents during the last meeting on 4 December.
But road openings came at a cost, Murrin said.
"Every time contractors need to move off the road to provide access there is a cost to the programme. It also pushes the completion date of the programme out which again adds cost to the programme."
The programme was currently ahead of schedule, slated for completion in December 2027 instead of the original finish date in late 2030.
- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
