Businesses near Tongariro National Park say concerns for the local economy will increase if the alpine crossing is not fully reopened by next summer.
Conservation Minister Nick Smith visited the area at the weekend to discuss what is needed to reopen the popular walkway in the central North Island after sections were damaged due to eruptions on Mount Tongariro in 2012.
Dr Smith says to fully reopen the crossing in 2014 the Government is considering several options, including increased monitoring of seismic activity along the track or re-routing it away from high-risk areas.
The track partially reopened in December last year but the group Go Tongariro, set up by businesses to promote the area, says there has still been a dramatic drop in the number of tourists visiting Tongariro and neighbouring Turangi.
Chairperson Craig Russell, who owns the Turangi Kiwi Holiday Park, says this has had an impact on bars and restaurants, and schools are staying away due to safety concerns when they would otherwise be doing more activities in the area.
Go Tongariro says a snowy but fine winter would attract enough visitors to keep the local economy going in the meantime, but concerns will grow if the track doesn't fully reopen by summer 2014.
The volcanic alert level on Mount Tongariro stands at one, in a range of zero to five.
