Mt Ruapehu Winter Season Saved By New Zealand Govt
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Excitement is in the air as winter takes hold of Mt Ruapehu in New Zealand! Whakapapa and Tūroa are thrilled to announce that the highly anticipated winter season is set to kick off this Saturday, July 1st, coinciding perfectly with the start of the school holidays.This news comes as a relief after the region faced uncertain times when it fell into voluntary administration in October 2022. The future of the area hung in the balance, but in a remarkable turn of events, the New Zealand Government stepped in at the eleventh hour. The government provided a loan of up to NZD 5 million to ensure that the ski season on Mt Ruapehu could proceed as planned. The announcement of this funding was made today by the Regional Development Minister, Kiri Allan, who emphasised the importance of preserving hundreds of jobs and preventing significant economic losses in the region had the season been unable to proceed. It is worth noting that the government had initially declined to offer assistance back in December, making this decision all the more crucial.The loan has been extended to the Ruapehu Alpine Lifts (RAL) liquidators, granting them the necessary time to explore potential buyers for the business and its valuable assets. Minister Allan reaffirmed the government's unwavering commitment to ensuring the success of the ski season on Mount Ruapehu. With Cabinet's decision, the prospects for a thriving season have been solidified.