As New Zealand’s ski resorts begin to make snow for their opening days in the coming weeks, one issue that they have faced for many years is finding workers a place to live. Many ski resorts are finding additional housing for workers through hostels and families that have rooms available. Stuff reached out to various ski resorts in the country to see what they were doing to address the housing crunch. Here were their responses:
- Mt. Hutt: The ski resort has reached out to residents in the town of Methven and Ashburton to provide rooms and housing for workers.
- Cardrona and Treble Cone: They are parenting with Wānaka Backpackers Bothy, a hostel, to staff workers for affordable rates during this winter. The Bothy Central hostel will house 120 workers, and cost $180 to $220 per week to live in, which will include ” power, central heating, and internet.” The accommodations will be used by mountain staff in the winter, and by seasonal workers at the resort and other local attractions in the summer.
- Coronet Peak and The Remarkables: These resorts have struggled to find workers’ housing due to the rise in popularity of Airbnbs. They tried to house workers in Cromwell in 2016, but the 60km drive to Queenstown was not ideal for a commute. The resorts have since reached out to locals to find beds for the workers, which has helped reduce their worries about the housing shortage. They also own worker housing and are working with the Workforce Accommodation Network (WAN) and local real estate agents to find other accommodation options.
Image Credits: The Remarkables, Mt. Hutt, Cardrona Alpine Resort